Tomorrow's Yet to Come
by majiklmoon
Summary: Sequel to Love Changes Everything. Life has gone on, and Liz must learn to live again. The second installment in the Antar to Earth and Back series.
1. Default Chapter

**Rating:**PG – R  
  
**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and it's characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get here.  
  
**Author's Note:** Thanks to everyone who read Love Changes Everything, and made it such a success. I really enjoyed re-writing Season 2. I wasn't planning on doing a sequel, and yet, here I am, laptop open, typing frantically. Please bear with me as I figure out where this story is supposed to go.  
  
**Prologue**  
  
_It's all about time. Time heals all wounds, they say, but does it really? Because I don't feel healed. Sure, we're safe. There never was any special unit, and Tess is gone, but at what cost? Alex is alive, but my baby is dead. __  
  
__I won't say that the past year and a half was easy. Ava took Tess' place at school. It was hard to hear the teachers and students call her Tess, in fact, it was horrible. But we just kept calling her Ava, and eventually, people picked up on it, no questions asked. The hardest thing for me, for all of us was knowing that we were married. I was married to Max Evans, but couldn't tell my parents. How would I even be able to explain it? We had to go back to 'dating', and saying good night at my front door, but it didn't change the fact that the Granolith had bound us together, forever._  
  
_Isabel had planned to graduate early, but after everything that happened, she decided to graduate with the rest of us. Maria and Ava struggled to get Michael to attend classes, and he managed to squeak by as well._  
  
_We were entering a new chapter in our lives. It was time to leave Roswell, but I didn't want to go. How could I leave the place where my baby had been conceived, and died? And yet, how could I stay? I couldn't tell my parents that I didn't want to go away to college any longer. But the truth was, I didn't. I didn't want to go away, and I didn't want to stay. There were times when I didn't even want to live. _  
  
_But as with so many other things, I didn't have a choice, and live I did. Max and Maria dragged me through our senior year activities, including the prom, SAT's, and college applications. They didn't understand, nobody did. I just didn't care anymore. _  
  
_Now it is time to start a new chapter in my life. Everything is packed, Max is picking me up tomorrow and we are leaving for college. Our parents accepted the inevitable; we were going to the same school. Isabel and Alex were going east to New York City, along with Michael and Maria. Isabel and Alex were both going to college, and Maria was going to pursue her singing career. Michael didn't have a clue what he was going to do. He was just kind of floundering aimlessly. Kyle and Ava were planning on traveling for a year before deciding what to do next. Ava missed out on a lot, living the way she did, and Kyle wanted to do whatever he could to make it up to her. She'll be fine; they'll all be fine._  
  
Liz closed her journal and slipped it into her backpack. She looked around her room. It looked so strange. All of the little knickknacks that made it her room were packed, and in the trailer that was hitched to the back of Max's car.   
  
"Liz, Liz honey, Max is here," her mother yelled from downstairs.   
  
Liz ignored her mother and climbed out the window and onto her private rooftop patio. She walked over to the brick wall, and passed her hand over the bricks. The heart with ME LP appeared. Liz looked first at it, and then at the spot where she and Max had cemented their relationship, and conceived their child.  
  
"Liz, are you ready?" Max asked, sticking his head through the window. "We really need to get going before it gets any later."  
  
"Yeah, sure, I'm ready," said Liz. She passed her hand over the bricks again and extinguished the glowing letters. "Max, do we have to leave? Why can't we just stay here?"  
  
"Stay here and do what, Liz, mourn? We have to get on with our lives."  
  
"Yeah, so you keep telling me," Liz said bitterly. "Fine, let's go."  
  
She pushed past him and climbed through the window and grabbed her backpack. Liz stopped and took one last look around the room of her childhood, then turned, and walked out the door.


	2. Chapter 1 A New Beginning

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and it's characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrows Yet to Come**  
  
**Rating: **PG – R  
  
**Chapter 1** – _A New Beginning_  
  
_Max found us an apartment today. Our parents weren't too thrilled at the thought of us living together, but since they aren't paying for school, they really don't have a say in the matter. We both received scholarships, not that we needed them. We still have all the money we won in Las Vegas. How long ago it all seems. We were so young, and so happy. I don't feel young anymore. I don't feel anything except for despair. I don't want to feel this way. __  
  
__Classes start next week. I'm sure it will be interesting. God, two years ago, the thought of college was so exciting. I couldn't wait to leave West Roswell High, and learn. Now, even learning things isn't a challenge. Like Max, and Isabelle, I can read a book once, and get it. No more struggling to comprehend obscure equations, it's all so simple. _  
  
_I'm really going to make an effort to at least appear interested. It isn't fair to Max if I act this way. _  
  
  
"Liz, are you ready?" Max called from the bathroom. "I want you to see the apartment, and then we can go pick out some furniture."  
  
Liz slipped her pen into her journal to mark her space, and closed the book. She looked around the impersonal hotel they had checked into while Max looked for an apartment. _It will be nice to get out of here,_ she thought to herself.  
  
"I'm ready," she called to Max. "Listen, I was thinking about furniture. We probably shouldn't get anything great. It's probably just going to get ruined, you know, from parties and stuff."  
  
"What?" Max yelled from the bathroom. He wiped the steam away from the mirror and stared at the expression of joy that appeared on his face. Liz was showing an interest in something!  
  
_Play it cool,_ he thought to himself.  
  
"Yeah, that makes sense," he called back to her. "Any ideas about where to go and such?"  
  
"Um, maybe," said Liz, reaching for the phone book. She thumbed through it, while Max joined her on the bed. "We could try Good Will, or the Salvation Army or something," she said.  
  
"That's a good idea," said Max. "And besides getting ruined, we don't want to look like we're rich spoiled kids who's parents are giving them everything."  
  
"Instead, we're aliens and humans who have beat the system in Las Vegas," joked Liz half-heartedly.  
  
"We should probably think about getting you a car of your own, too," said Max.  
  
"No, I don't think so," said Liz. "We're close enough to the campus for me to walk, right?"  
  
"Yeah, and besides, we have pretty much all the same classes," he admitted.  
  
"At the same time, I'll bet," said Liz, raising her eyebrow.  
  
"Well, yeah, actually. Freshman year, it's all pretty much general education requirements, so I figured we might as well stick together. That way I can chase away any guys that start chasing after you."  
  
"Like that's going to happen," said Liz, playing along. "Hey, lets get out of here and go see this wonderful apartment you found."  
  
Max drove them through the campus, and showed Liz the what buildings housed their different classrooms."  
  
"Great, what about the apartment?" said Liz.  
  
"Well, actually, that's kind of a surprise," said Max. He drove into the parking lot tall building, located on the campus. "Freshmen are eligible for married student housing this year. I figured it might be more fun for us to live on campus. This way, we'll be in the thick of things."  
  
"Max, really?" said Liz, a bit of excitement coloring her voice.   
  
"Yeah, and as residence, we're eligible for meal plans, so we can eat in the dining hall if we want to."  
  
"Not that we'd want to very much," said Liz. "If all the rumors about school food is true. Can we see it now?"  
  
"We can move in today if we want," said Max. "Official move in day for students is tomorrow, but I talked the Resident Director and told him we were staying in a hotel, and he said it was no big deal if we moved in tonight."  
  
He shut the car off, and got out of the car, and ran around the side and opened Liz's door. "Right this way, Mrs. Evans," he said with a bow.  
  
Together they walked up the asphalt walkway and into the cool interior of the building.  
  
"Max, hi, how's it going? Is this your wife?" asked a heavyset man with glasses and a beard.  
  
"Hey, Fred, thanks for letting us move in today. That hotel was getting pretty confining." He turned to Liz. "Liz, this is Fred, he's the Resident Director for Wilson Hall. Fred, this is my wife, Liz Evans."  
  
"Hi," said Liz. "It's nice to meet you."  
  
"Nice to meet you to, Liz," said Fred, reaching to shake her hand. "Max, did you bring that paperwork? I just need confirmation that you two kids are all official before I give you your keys."  
  
"Yeah, I got it right here," said Max. He reached into the back pocket of his well-worn jeans and pulled out several folded pieces of paper. Here is a copy of our marriage license, and our class registrations."  
  
"Great," said Fred, taking the papers from Max. "I'll just make a copy of these and get them right back to you. Vegas wedding huh? How was it?"  
  
"Pretty cool, actually," said Liz. "It was kind of a group thing."  
  
Fred led them over to his office, which was situated off the main lobby, and quickly made copies of their documents.  
  
"Here you go," he said, handing the documents back to Max. "So, any preference about what floor you want to live on?"  
  
"What do you suggest, Fred?" asked Max. "Seems to me that you know all the ins and outs of this place."  
  
"Well, the first floor is pretty great as far as getting in and out pretty quick, but you have a much better view the higher up you go, " mused Fred.   
  
"Liz, what do you think?" asked Max.  
  
"What? Oh, um, well, where are the laundry facilities?" asked Liz.  
  
"There are washers and dryers on each floor," Fred said, proudly.  
  
"Oh, well, in that case, I guess the first floor would be best," said Liz.   
  
"Sure, the first floor would be great," agreed Max. Secretly, he was disappointed, he had wanted the top floor, but if Liz was showing an interest in something, he wasn't going to discourage it in any way.  
  
"Well, great, let me see," said Fred, checking his clipboard. "I can give you, oh perfect, how about 285?"  
  
"2? 85," asked Max. "I thought you said it was the first floor?"  
  
"It is," said Fred, rolling his eyes. "The idiot who designed this building put a dining hall, and a recreation room in the basement, as well as a few offices and such."  
  
"Let me guess," said Max. "Those are the rooms in the hundreds?"  
  
"Exactly," agreed Fred. "Let me see, I'll just grab the keys and show you where to go. 285 is on the south side of the building, so you'll get a lot of sunlight during the day."  
  
"285 south?" Liz asked incredulously. "No way, you're not kidding?"  
  
"No, why?" asked Fred, curiously.   
  
"Oh, no reason," said Liz, pulling at the hem of her tank top. Some friends and I took a road trip done 285 south one time. It was just funny coincidence." She shot Max a wry look, and followed Fred down the hallway.  
  
"Well, here it is, folks. If you need anything, or have any questions, just give a shout. If I'm not in class, I'm here. I, I –uh don't get out much," Fred added, bashfully.  
  
"Thanks Fred," said Max, taking the keys from him. "We'll catch you later, okay?"  
  
"Oh, yeah, sure, okay," said Fred, clearly disappointed.  
  
"Hey, Fred," Liz said, suddenly. "We're going to go do some shopping and stuff, and bring back a pizza. Did you want to eat with us tonight?"  
  
"Sure, great," said Fred, brightening visibly. "That would be great."  
  
"We should be back around six," said Liz. "Do you like pepperoni?"  
  
"Yeah! And I'll pick up some tonic and stuff, okay?"  
  
"Great, we'll see you later."  
  
Liz and Max watched while Fred walked down the hall, whistling. After he turned a corner and disappeared from view, Max turned to Liz.  
  
"What did you do that for?" he asked. "It's our first night in our first home!"  
  
"Well, he seemed so lonely," said Liz. "And after all, he is doing us a favor, letting us move in early."  
  
"You're right," said Max. "I just wanted you all to myself." He inserted the key in the lock and opened the door. Before Liz could take a step, he swung her up into his arms, and carried her over the threshold to their new home.  
  
Liz wrapped her arms around him, and kissed him passionately, while a video camera, hidden behind an air conditioning vent in their new living room, filmed the event.


	3. Chapter Two One Step Forward Two Steps ...

THis part sucks...lots of details, no real plot. Sorry  
  
**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and it's characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Rating:** PG – R  
  
**Chapter Two** – _One Step Forward, Two Steps Back_  
  
Liz was like a kid gone wild at the used furniture store that they discovered. She picked out a sofa in slightly better condition than the one that used to inhabit Michael's old apartment, a couple of chairs that had seen better days, but were still usable. Next she moved on to end tables and a coffee table.  
  
"Do we really need one that big, and so ugly. Look at it, it's a wreck." Max asked, looking at the oak monstrosity that Liz had just declared perfect.  
  
"Oh yeah," said Liz. "Think about it. We can work at it, and eat on it. It's perfect!"  
  
"You're the boss," said Max. "At least in all things decorating. I'll tell you what. You keep at it, and I'm going to go to that U-Haul place we passed down the street and see if we can get a truck to get it all back to the apartment."  
  
"Oh, I never thought of that," said Liz. "We can forget about some of this stuff, I mean, we don't really need it."  
  
"Liz, relax, we do need it. I'm not planning to spend all my time sitting on the floor, are you? One thing I insist on, though, is a new bed. I want our first bed to be _OUR'S_, and not anybody's old castoff."  
  
"Agreed," said Liz. "You go get the truck, I'll see about some lamps, and then, it's off to a real furniture store for a bed."  
  
"And after that, we hit the electronics store," declared Max. "We'll need computers and stuff, don't forget."  
  
Max left Liz, wandering around the store, and walked down to the U-Haul down the next block. Less than thirty minutes later, he was parked out front of the store with a big orange truck with an alien in a space ship painted on its sides. Underneath it were the words, New Mexico. He joined Liz back in the store, and paid for all their purchases.  
  
"Excuse me, sir," said the cashier. "Did you want to make arrangements for delivery? It's an extra charge."  
  
"No thanks," said Max, grinning. We got it covered." He pointed to the truck outside and watched as Liz put her hands over her mouth to smother the laughter that threatened to bubble out.  
  
"Please drive around back, and you can pick up your purchases on the loading dock," said the cashier. "It will be a few minutes until some of the stock guys can bring it out to you."  
  
"Thanks," said Max, flashing his best Tom Cruise grin at her.  
  
"I'll see if I can hurry them along," said the now flustered cashier.  
  
"That was nasty," said Liz as they walked to the truck. "Almost as nasty as that truck. I suppose you had to pay extra for it?"  
  
Max started the vehicle and drove it around the building to the loading area.   
  
"Honestly, it was the only one they had available on such short notice," said Max. "If we could have waited until tomorrow, we could have gotten the one with Mount Rushmore on it."  
  
"Jerk," said Liz, slapping him lightly. "Come on, let's get the stuff loaded and find a bed. I was thinking, after that, you could go do the electronics thing, and I'll hit the nearest Wal-Mart for sheets and dishes and stuff. We don't really have too much of that stuff. Then I'll make a grocery store run, you can return the U.F.O. truck and I'll meet you, and we can get the pizza and have dinner."  
  
"Sounds like a plan," said Max, as he backed the truck against the loading dock. He struggled to keep the relief out of his voice. Liz was acting like Liz again. She had a plan, and nothing was going to stop her from following it.  
  
"Can I make a suggestion though?" he asked carefully. "How about after we find the bed, we bring all the furniture back to the apartment and unload it. I don't really want to be driving all around the city with a truck full of furniture."  
  
"Sure," said Liz. "Good thinking, Max." She smiled at him, but her eyes didn't reflect the smile. _This is so hard,_ she thought to herself. _All I want to do is to be left alone. Everything is moving too fast for me. Why can't we just slow down?_ She shook her head.  
  
"What, is there a problem?" asked Max.  
  
"What, oh, no. My, uh, my hair was in my face," improvised Liz.  
  
They climbed out of the truck and Max ran and opened the loading door. With the help of the stock boys, they made short work of loading the furniture. The road silently, each lost in their own thoughts, to the nearest furniture store. The wandered around the store for a while, looking half-heartedly at the various bedroom sets.   
  
"Do you see anything you like at all?" said Max.  
  
"No, I, wait, what's that," said Liz, pointing to a dark room.  
  
They walked over to the room. The sign above it said seconds and defective goods. Liz pulled Max inside and began to look around.  
  
"There it is!" she cried excitedly. Max looked to where she was pointing and saw an enormous headboard and footboard made of oak, and stained in a golden honey color. The headboard had an intricate carved design of oak leaves and acorns, as did the footboard.   
  
"Liz, look," said Max, in dismay. He pointed to a giant gouge in the headboard, and a crack in the footboard.  
  
"It doesn't matter," said Liz, looking at him meaningfully. It's perfect!"  
  
"Fine, said Max, shortly. "I'll go get a sales person." He was happy Liz was showing an interest, but he was getting a little tired of catering to her every whim. He couldn't see why they should spend money on defective goods.  
  
The salesperson wrote up their order, and made sure that they understood that there were no returns on defective materials. Max nodded to show that he understood, they paid the bill and made arrangements to pick up the new bed, as well as a box spring and mattress. After everything was loaded on the truck, they drove slowly through the town back to the campus.  
  
"How are we going to get all this stuff inside?" Liz asked as Max parked the truck.  
  
"A combination of muscle power, and alien power, I guess," said Max. They climbed out of the truck and stood looking at it, and each other for a minute.  
  
"Well, this is certainly productive," said Liz with a small grin. "Tell you what, get this thing opened, and I'll go prop open the front door." She jogged off up the walkway and propped opened the doors to the building with a couple of rocks. Max lifted the door the truck, and climbed up and began to push the mattress to the edge.  
  
"I've got it Max," said Liz from down below. Max eased the mattress down into Liz's arms, and together they guided it to the floor. Max jumped down off the truck and took one end of the mattress, and he and Liz began to carry it up the walkway to the building.  
  
"Hey, do you guys need any help?" they heard a voice call.  
  
"Oh, Fred, hi," said Liz, peeking out from behind the unwieldy mattress. "Sure, that would be great. Will you take this end, and I'll run inside and unlock the door to the apartment?"  
  
"Sure thing," Fred said, amiably. "Glad to be of assistance. Usually on moving day, you find everybody helping everybody else, but since you all are here a day early, you've only got me."  
  
"Well, we'll take all the assistance we can get," said Max. "Thanks again."  
  
"No problem. Hey, if you can afford to spring for a few more pizza's, I may be able to round up a few more guys," offered Fred.  
  
"Let me just check with Liz," said Max, as the two walked up the path, carefully balancing the mattress between them.  
  
"Ask me what," said Liz, meeting them at the door to the building.  
  
"Oh, Fred said if we could swing a few more pizza's, he may be able to round up a few more people to help," explained Max.  
  
"Sure, sounds great," Liz said cheerfully. "I'm just gonna head down to the truck and see what I can lift."  
  
Liz jogged down the short path to where the truck was parked, her thoughts racing a mile a minute. _I so don't want to have to deal with people tonight,_ she thought to herself. _But I guess I really don't have a choice. I know Max is missing Michael, and this will give him an opportunity to meet some people. As long as I don't have to do much socializing, everything will be fine._  
  
Liz climbed into the truck, and using her powers to help lighten the load, unloaded the box spring, the head and footboards, as well as the two very ratty chairs.  
  
"Wow," said Fred, when he and Max returned to the truck. "How did you get all that stuff down already?"  
  
"Oh, a couple of guys offered to help while they waited for their ride," lied Liz. "Who was I to say no?"  
  
"Fred called in the reserves," said Max. "He has four friends coming over, so pretty much all you have to do is oversee," said Max.   
  
"Sounds like a plan," said Liz. "Too bad we left your car at the used furniture place. I could have run to the store while you guys did the heavy work."  
  
"Tell you what," said Fred. He was so excited, he was almost jumping around like an over excited puppy. "I have to run to the local discount store, and the grocery store after this. How about if you ride with me, Liz, and Max can return the truck and pick up his car."  
  
Liz shot Max a look, and he nodded imperceptibly, and Liz smiled at Fred. "Sure, that sounds like a great plan," she said. "You can fill me in on all the best places to shop. But I do have quite a few things to pick up, so it may take a while."  
  
"That's not a problem," said Fred. "And look, here comes the cavalry!" He pointed to an old Chevy Malibu that had just pulled into the parking lot.  
  
Fred quickly introduced his friends, Bill, Steve, Chuck and Justin, and together with Max, they made short work of unloading everything from the truck and getting it into the apartment.  
  
"Thanks a lot, guys," said Max. We really appreciate all the extra help. Right now, we can't even offer you water, we don't have any glasses yet, but if you come back, um, around 8:00," he looked at Liz for confirmation, "yeah, around 8:00, we can promise pizza and cold soda."  
  
"Great, man," said Bill, or maybe it was Chuck, Liz wasn't really sure. "We'll be here around 8:00, we're always in the market for some pizza."  
  
"I'm gonna run back to my place for a second," said Fred. "Liz, just stop by when you're ready to go. It's the apartment next to the office, okay?"  
  
"Okay, Fred," Liz answered. She watched as Fred escorted his friends out the door and turned to Max.  
  
"That was nice of them," she said. "Helping us like that."  
  
"Yeah, it was," said Max. _Were our conversations always this forced and stilted,_ he wondered to himself. "Well, listen, I'm gonna head out and get the truck back and hit the nearest Best Buy. Do you want a particular type of computer or anything?"  
  
"No, whatever you want is fine," said Liz. "I'm just going to fool around here for a bit, and then head out with Fred. I'll see you later, okay?"  
  
"Yeah, fine," said Max. He looked worriedly at Liz, opened his mouth to say something then closed it and turned to the door. "I'll see you later then."  
  
"Yeah, bye, Max," Liz said. She waited until he was out the door, and then walked over to their new sofa. She pressed her hand against the material, and watched as it changed from a stained gold plaid, to a rich, red chenille. She stepped back to admire the effect, and shook her head. She touched the sofa again, and it changed to a green and beige plaid with a definite country look to it. She looked again, and then changed it back to her original gold. Liz picked up her bag, and walked out the door, carefully locking it behind her, while behind the vent, the camera filmed everything.


	4. Chapter Three A Kind of Healing

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and it's characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Rating:** PG – R  
  
**Chapter Three** – _A Kind of Healing_  
  
_We've been here for three weeks, and it's been a little bit easier each day. Maybe Max was right; maybe a change of scenery is what I needed. Something new and different to take my mind off of things. College is certainly different than high school. The work isn't any harder, Max saw to that when he healed me. It's the people; that's what's different. Most people in my classes really seem to care about learning, and doing well. High school was more about marking time until you graduated. Here, learning takes place. People talk about academic things. It's actually kind of fun. And then there's Fred. Poor sweet, socially inept Fred. He's been great, he really has. He gave me permission to paint the apartment. The only stipulation was I had to restore it to its original color before we moved out. That certainly won't be hard._   
  
Liz paused and put the pen down and looked around the apartment. The combination living and dining room's soft yellow walls glowed with the reflecting light of the setting sun. The furniture was now covered in a dark green chenille material, and the coffee table was restored to a burnished honey color. Photographs of their friends covered the walls, and it made Liz feel incredibly safe to see Michael, Kyle and Alex watching her from one picture, while Maria, Isabel and Ava played the divas in another.  
  
A fairly large entertainment center took up one wall, filled with all the electronic equipment Max felt was essential for living. But it was the picture above the television that caught Liz's attention. It had arrived earlier that day, left unceremoniously propped against their front door. Liz found it waiting when she arrived home from class. She pushed the door open; struggling under the bags of groceries she had carried. She dropped the groceries on the coffee table and went back for the large package.   
  
Liz pulled the wrappings off of the package, and revealed a stunning oil painting. It showed a fountain of light. The color of the light ranged from a stunning purple, to glowing silver. Eight golden balls of light, arranged in two interlocking squares, surrounded the fountain.   
  
Liz stared at the picture, and felt the icy wall that surrounded her heart start to crack. She knelt down to examine the picture closely, knowing exactly what she would find. Down in the lower right hand corner were the initials MG. Michael had painted this picture.  
  
Liz drew her gaze away from the picture, and dragged herself back to the present. She shoved her journal into her backpack and went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Max would be home soon, and Fred was joining them. Again. Liz didn't mind though, she liked Fred and his friends. They were always dropping by, looking for a place to hang out and watch TV, or to study. It wasn't the same as having Maria and Alex around, but it was nice.  
  
Liz turned from the stove at the sound of the door opening.  
  
"Hey," she called to Max. "Did you finish your research?"  
  
"Yeah," Max grumbled. "And I found out today that I can log into the school's library from here. I didn't need to waste the day there, I could have been home, relaxing, while my willing slave peeled me some grapes or something."  
  
"Sorry, there wouldn't have been enough room," joked Liz. "My slave was here, peeling me grapes."  
  
"I'd be worried if I didn't know that you spent most of today in the chemistry lab," laughed Max. "Can I help with dinner?"  
  
"No, I've got it tonight," said Liz. "You and Fred can clean up though."  
  
"Fred again?" groaned Max. "Maybe we should just get him his own toothbrush for the bathroom."  
  
"Be nice, Max. He's lonely, besides; I like him. He's harmless, and after the last few years, we could use some harmless in our lives."  
  
"I know, I know," said Max. He launched himself onto the couch and reached for the remote. He pointed at the television, and stopped dead. "Holy shit!" he exclaimed softly. "Where'd that come from?"  
  
He got up off the couch and walked closer to the painting so that he could study it.  
  
"Michael?" he said when he saw the initials at the bottom of the picture.  
  
"Either that, or there is another MG who was there when the Granolith joined us together," said Liz. "But since Michael included a note with it, I'd say it's safe to assume he's the artist."  
  
"It's beautiful," said Max, his voice reverent.   
  
"It is," agreed Liz. "And it made me remember just how lucky I am to have you in my life." She wrapped her arms around Max's waist and held him tightly. "I've been a real jerk, Max, but so have you."  
  
"What?" Max said. He struggled to control the anger he felt at her comment. How could she accuse him of being a jerk? He'd been nothing but understanding, and compassionate with her.  
  
"Yes, we've both been jerks. I've been wallowing in self-pity, but you let me Max. You never once told me how badly you felt, or let me know that you hurt. You never told me to snap out of it and deal, you just let me sink further and further into myself. And worst of all, I let you do it."  
  
"Snap out of it?" Max asked. "You wanted me to tell you to snap out of it?"  
  
"Well, maybe not those exact words," said Liz with a rueful smile. "But something to that effect. We lost something so special to us Max, and it was okay for me to feel sad, but it would have been equally okay for you to feel sad right along with me."  
  
"I was torn apart, Liz," admitted Max. "But I was trying to be strong, for you."  
  
"Maybe I needed you to fall apart with me, Max. Did you ever once, think of that?"  
  
"Well, not on my own, but I seem to recall both Maria and Ava telling me something like that," said Max with a small smile.   
  
"And?" prompted Liz.  
  
"There was the time Isabel threatened to turn my hair green and give me acne on my feet if I didn't stop acting like such a man. Okay, I admit it. I was a jerk. There are you happy now?"  
  
"No, and I won't be until you admit that I was a jerk, too," said Liz.  
  
"Fine, we were both jerks," said Max, picking her up and swinging her around their small living room. "Feel better?"  
  
"Well, not great, but better than I have in a long, long time," admitted Liz. "Now, why don't you give Fred a call, dinner's almost ready."  
  
The simple dinner of chicken, rice and salad was made enjoyable both by the company of Fred, who seemed almost vibrant that evening, as well as the new found closeness of Max and Liz.  
  
"Fred, you seem a bit over the top tonight," commented Liz as she reached for another dinner roll. "What's up?"  
  
"Well, I sort of met somebody," Fred said, bashfully. "Say, that's a beautiful picture you have up there," he said, in a feeble attempt to change the direction of the conversation.  
  
"Thanks, a friend painted it for us," said Liz. "He's Max's best friend, and he's married to my best friend."  
  
"Convenient," said Fred.  
  
"Yeah, now enough about that," said Liz determinedly. "Now spill!"  
  
"Resistance is futile," deadpanned Max.  
  
"Thanks so much, Locutis of Borg," said Fred. "Okay, fine. Her name is Glenarra, and she's fantastic."  
  
"Well, she's new to this school, the school assigned her to this apartment, but since she's not married, she couldn't live here. It took a while to straighten out the mess, let me tell you. Did you ever try and argue with those goons in student housing. They never want to admit they mistake. She was actually half moved in before we got it all straightened out. And then I met Max, and well, the rest is history."  
  
"So what is she like?" asked Liz. "Obviously, she kept in touch with you after the mix up, right?"  
  
"Actually, no she didn't," said Fred. "I didn't see her for a week or so after the whole mix up, then one day, she just showed up. She was so friendly and nice about the whole mix up, joking around, asking if anybody had moved into _her_ apartment, and all."  
  
"You'll have to bring her over some time," said Max. "We'd love to meet her." He looked over at Liz, and his stomach warmed at the passionate look she gave him.   
  
"Thank you," she mouthed to him, with a smile.  
  
"That would be really great," said Fred. "Actually, I have to get going, I'm meeting her tonight. It's quite a coincidence actually. The last few times we've gotten together, she's called me to go out right after."  
  
"You're just too popular for your own good, Fred," joked Max.  
  
"I never was," Fred said, earnestly. "You and Liz must be good luck charms for me or something. Look I don't want to eat and run, but I need to meet Glenarra."  
  
"Oh sure, weasel out of dish duty just because you have a new girlfriend," grumbled Max, good-naturedly. "Go ahead, Fred. Have a great time. Stop by tomorrow and tell us old married folks what the dating world is like."  
  
Fred left, and Max and Liz made short work of the dishes, and then fell into bed. They were sound asleep when a pounding on their door woke them around midnight. Groggily, Max stumbled to the door and asked who it was.  
  
"It's Steve, and Justin, man. Let us in, it's important.  
  
Max opened the door part way, and Steve pushed it open and shoved past Max.  
  
"Jesus, dude, it's late, keep it down, will you? What's wrong?" he asked.  
  
"It's Fred," said Justin.  
  
"Fred, what about him. We just saw him a few hours ago?"  
  
"Yeah, well, he's dead,' said Steve, baldly.  
  
"What!" cried Liz from the door of the bedroom. "What happened?"  
  
"I don't know, exactly," said Steve, stumbling to the couch. "I saw him earlier today, and he said he was going to hang with you guys for a while, and then he had a date with that chick he met."  
  
"Glenarra," said Max.  
  
"Yeah, weird name," said Steve. "Anyhow, we swung by his apartment, cause we wanted to check her out, make sure she wasn't just yanking Fred's chain or anything. You know?"  
  
Max nodded to show that he did understand.  
  
"Fred's not a real sophisticate, and we were worried this chick might be playing him," continued Steve. "So we showed up at his place around 11:30, and knocked on the door, and it swung open, so we went inside." Steve stopped as his eyes filled with tears.  
  
"The place was a mess, and I don't mean the usual I haven't done the laundry type of mess," continued Justin, taking over for Steve. "His apartment was torn apart. We called out, but nobody answered, so we went into his bedroom. God, he was lying on the bed, naked. His eyes were wide open, staring into nothing. There was a horrible smell of burned flesh in the room."  
  
"He was burned?" cried Liz.  
  
"No, that's just it, he wasn't," said Steve, trying to compose himself. "There wasn't a mark on him, except for a silver handprint on his chest."  
  
Max grabbed Steve off the couch and rammed him against the wall. "You're lying! Who sent you here? Tell me, damn it, before I kill you myself!"  
  
"Jesus Christ, man," shouted Justin, pulling at Max's arm. "Let him go. He's not kidding, we both saw it. But that's not all. There's more."  
  
"Tell me," said Max, through gritted teeth.  
  
"Not until you let Steve go," said Justin. "I already lost one friend tonight. I don't need to see another one die."  
  
Max released his grasp on Steve, and he slumped to the floor, gasping for breath.  
  
"What's up, Max?" demanded Justin. "What has you so freaked? You know something, don't you? You know who did this to Fred."  
  
"What else did you see," said Max in careful, measured tones.  
  
"Fine," said Steve, still gasping for air. "The TV was on in Fred's apartment, but it wasn't your average television program. There was some pretty sophisticated surveillance equipment in his apartment, and it was showing this apartment on his TV.


	5. Chapter Four On the Run

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and it's characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Rating:** PG – R  
  
**Chapter Four** – _On the Run_  
  
Liz turned back into the bedroom and began to dress rapidly while Max talked with Justin and Steve. She went to the closet and pulled out two large duffle bags and began to cram clothes and toiletries into both. She ran a brush through her hair, and pulled it back into a no nonsense ponytail. When she was done, she walked into the living room and looked at the others.  
  
"What did you tell them?" she asked Max.  
  
"Not much," said Steve, belligerently. "I thought we were your friends. Fred is dead, and he seems to have been stalking you guys or something. Maybe you found out he was spying on you, and you decided to take care of him yourself."  
  
"Sit down, Steve," said Liz. "I'm going to tell you a story."  
  
"Liz, no!" said Max. "We can't."  
  
"We have to," said Liz. "They're in as much danger as we are. Look, I've already packed. Go get dressed, and I'll give these guys the short version."  
  
"The short version of what?" asked Justin.  
  
"First, Max and I didn't do anything to Fred. You do know that, don't you?" She waited until both men nodded reluctantly. "Okay, I'm going to tell you something, and it's going to sound weird, but I want you to promise me you won't say a word until I'm finished."  
  
Liz gave them an abridged version of the past three years and sat back while they tried to digest the information.  
  
"No fucking way," said Steve. "That's bullshit, and you know it."   
  
Liz didn't answer, she simply placed her hand on the coffee table in front of them and it changed from a honey oak color to an almost black color.  
  
"Holy shit," said Justin. "You're aliens."  
  
"No, we're human. Max was simply born on another planet. He is still as human as you or me," said Liz.  
  
"Are you going to kill us?" whispered Steve.  
  
"God, Steve, I've cooked for you, and partied with you, do I strike you as a homicidal maniac or something?" snapped Liz.  
  
"Normally, I'd say no, but right now, I'm not to sure," he confessed.  
  
"Look, we're still the same people you met three weeks ago," said Liz. "And now, we need your help."  
  
"Help, how?" asked Justin.  
  
"Two things," said Liz. "Did you all the police yet?"  
  
"No," said Steve. "We freaked and came here right away."  
  
"Good," said Liz. "First I have to know, do you believe us, and trust us?" She waited until the two of them nodded, then continued. "We have to get the surveillance equipment out that apartment right now. Max!" she called out to her husband. "Can you go help the guys, right now?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm coming," said Max, pulling a shirt over his head as he walked back into the living room.  
  
"Alien, huh?" said Steve, still a bit doubtful.  
  
"We prefer the term 'Not of this Earth,'" Max and Liz said together.  
  
"Wha?" queried a clearly puzzled Steve.  
  
"Never mind, I'll explain on the way," said Max. "Can we trust Bill and Chuck?" he asked.  
  
"With your life," said Justin.   
  
"Good, cause that's what it is," said Max. "Call them, don't tell them anything on the phone other than we need help. Have them meet Liz here."  
  
Okay, man," said Justin. He pulled out his cell phone and placed the call even as they walked out of the apartment.  
  
Liz began to systematically pack the personal belongings that they couldn't carry with them, stopping periodically to wipe a stray tear from her face. When she had packed all she could, she began a thorough search of the apartment to try and locate the surveillance cameras. Her eyes landed on the grate covering the air duct, and she knew that she was going to be successful. Climbing up on a chair, she used her powers to remove the grate, and removed the camera she found inside. She quickly replaced the grate, and then put the camera on the couch, and covered the lens with a pillow.   
  
She continued to search, and found three more cameras, located in the kitchen, the bathroom, and the bedroom she shared with Max.  
  
"Damn it," she said to the empty room. "Who is doing this? It can't be Tess; I killed the bitch myself. And Rath and Lonnie are dead too. Who is looking for us, now?"  
  
There was a knock at the door, and she approached it cautiously, looking through the peephole before she opened it. Bill and Chuck were waiting in the hallway; both looking very disheveled, and very tired. She opened the door, and pulled them both into the apartment, and closed the door behind them.  
  
"This had better be good, Evans," said Bill. "I was asleep you know."  
  
"It's not good, but it is important," said Liz. "I need your help. I have to tell you something, but before I do, I have to know that you won't tell anybody else."  
  
"It's like not anything illegal, is it?" said Chuck. "Because except for the occasional beer blast with under age coed's, I'm not too into breaking the law."  
  
"Just listen," said Liz. And so for the second time that night, she relayed the story of the Roswell crash, and it's aftermath. She spoke quickly, but dispassionately, never once trying to use sympathy to gain their cooperation.  
  
"So, you're telling me that you have these alien powers now, and that Max landed here in the Roswell crash. Jesus, Evans, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were doing some serious drugs," said Chuck.  
  
Liz didn't say anything; she stood up, walked across the room, and touched one of the walls in the living room. It immediately went from the soft golden yellow, back to the boring institutional beige that covered the walls in all the other apartments in the building.  
  
"Shit," said Chuck. He rubbed his hands over his eyes and face, and then looked again at the wall. Liz moved to another wall and restored the color there, and turned to him.  
  
"Okay," said Bill. "I'm guessing you didn't call us over here just because you had a burning desire to share this little secret with us."  
  
"You guessed right," said Liz. "You don't know how much I don't want to tell you the next part, but I have to. It's about Fred."  
  
"Yeah, where is he?" asked Chuck. "I figured he'd be right in the thick of this. Oh wait, he had a date with that chick with the weird name."  
  
"I, God, this is so hard to say," said Liz, her voice filled with tears.  
  
"Where is Fred, Liz? Is he okay?" demanded Chuck.  
  
"No," said Liz, tears coursing down her face. "He's not okay. He was killed tonight. We think it was another alien. Justin and Steve found him dead, and he had a handprint on his chest."  
  
"Handprint, like the one Max gave you when he healed you?" demanded Bill.  
  
Liz nodded but didn't say anything; she just waited and let the guys formulate their own questions. The one they came up with shocked her beyond belief.  
  
"Liz," said Bill kneeling down before her. "Are you afraid Max did it? Are you asking us to protect you? We will you know. We can get you out of town right away. He'll never find you."  
  
"No, it wasn't Max," said Liz. "He was here with me all night. Right now, he's down in Fred's apartment with Justin and Steve. I know he's going to try and heal Fred, but I think it's too late. But there's more I didn't tell you yet. When Steve and Justin found Fred, they also found all sorts of surveillance equipment in his apartment, and I found these, here." She lifted the cushions to reveal the cameras she had hidden.  
  
"I think whoever did this to Fred, was using him all along to find out about Max and me," she explained. We have to call the authorities about Fred, but before we can do that, we have to get the surveillance equipment out of Fred's apartment."  
  
"What can we do to help," said Bill, suddenly. "I believe it wasn't you or Max who did this to Fred. You guys were two of the few people who saw past the geeky outer Fred to the prince that was inside of him."  
  
"Thank you," said Liz. She went to a drawer in the kitchen and pulled something out. "Here," she said, handing the bundle to Bill. "This envelope has $5000.00 in it. Can you guys get all our personal stuff packed up, along with all the surveillance stuff?" She scribbled an address on a piece of paper and handed it to Bill. "This is my parent's address in Roswell. Ship all our personal stuff to them please. Keep the furniture, the TV, the stereo, whatever. Just get our stuff to my parents."  
  
"Yeah, sure, anything," said Bill. "Where are you guys going to be?"  
  
"Running for our lives," said Liz.


	6. Chapter Five Nancy Drew Strikes Again

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and it's characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Five** – _Nancy Drew Strikes Again_  
  
"Where are we going to go?" Liz asked as Max backed the car out of it's parking space.  
  
"I don't know, but we have to get out of here, fast," answered Max.  
  
"Isn't it going to look suspicious if we turn up gone right after Fred was murdered?" Liz asked  
  
"Probably," admitted Max. "But Steve said he'd try and come up with a reason why we disappeared. He said something about hacking into the school files and making it look like we withdrew from classes a week or so ago."  
  
"But won't people remember us being in classes this week?" worried Liz.  
  
"Maybe not. Most of our classes are lectures, in nice big impersonal lecture halls. Anyhow, it doesn't matter, we just have to figure out who the hell is after us," said Max.  
  
"Well, we can't just drive, we have to have some sort of plan," said Liz. "Look, there's an all night coffee shop up the street. Let's stop there, and make some plans."  
  
Max reluctantly pulled into the parking lot and shut the car off.  
  
"I don't think this is such a good idea, Liz," he said.  
  
"Neither is driving nowhere without even a hint of a plan, now are you coming or what?" snapped Liz.  
  
"Well, we sure as hell can't go in there looking like this," Max snapped right back at her.  
  
"I'm not stupid, Max!" shouted Liz. "I do know that much. Stop trying to treat me like I'm Isabel, because I'm not!"  
  
Max took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.  
  
"Liz," he said, his voice much softer. "Why are we fighting like this?"  
  
"Maybe because one of the nicest people we've ever met, is dead, and it's because of us," answered Liz. "But you're right, our fighting isn't going to change that. We need to focus, not fight."  
  
"And you're right too," said Max. "We need a plan. We can't just react. It's what they want us to do. "Whoever _they_ are."  
  
Liz reached a hand up to her hair, and I turned a dull dishwater blond color, and hung straight down on either side of her face, allowing her to hide her face behind a curtain of hair.  
  
"Perfect," said Max. "Now me." He touched his head, and his hair changed to a dull brown. Next he touched his face, and a beard appeared, totally changing his appearance. He climbed out of the car, and came around to open Liz's door. When he shut the door, the car transformed from it's dark green to a faded gray color."  
  
The coffee shop was surprisingly full for such an early hour, and both Max and Liz were glad, for they were able to blend in without anybody really noticing them.  
  
"What will it be?" asked the tired looking waitress who approached their table.  
  
After a quick perusal of the menu, they placed their orders and waited until the waitress was out of earshot.  
  
"I think the first thing we should do is call Michael and the others," said Max. "Let them know what's going on."  
  
"Right," said Liz. "You try them, I'll try Kyle and Ava, and whoever's done first can call Isabel and Alex." She pulled out her cell phone and dialed Kyle's number. The phone rang and rang, but he never answered.  
  
"That's strange," she said to Max. "I didn't even get his voicemail. Did you have any luck?"  
  
"None," Max said, his voice worried." "There was no answer at Michael and Maria's apartment, or his cell phone. I'll try Alex and Isabel now." He punched in their home number and waited, his frustration mounting as the phone rang, and nobody answered.  
  
"Here you go folks," said the waitress. She put two plates in front of them, along with two cups of steaming coffee. "If you need a refill, just holler. Can I get you anything else?"  
  
"No, I think we're set," said Liz. "Thank you very much. Max," she said as soon as the waitress was gone. "I'll be right back. I have to go to the car." Liz jumped up and ran out to the parking lot. Max saw her open the trunk and rummage around inside. She turned and made her way back to the coffee shop carrying an unwieldy bundle wrapped in the sheet from their bed.  
  
"What is that?" he asked. Liz pulled the cover off, and Max's mouth fell open in shock.  
  
"You brought _that_ with you?" he asked incredulously.  
  
"Yes," replied Liz. "I had to, Max. Look at it, look at what it represents."  
  
"I know what it represents, Liz," said Max, his voice gruff with emotion. "I was there, remember?"  
  
"Well, I couldn't leave it, could I?" asked Liz.  
  
"No, I guess not, but that doesn't explain why you brought it in here, now."  
  
"Well, I kind of wondered if maybe Michael knew something was up, and left us a clue or something," said Liz.  
  
"Liz, don't go all Nancy Drew on me here," said Max. "Do you really think Michael, _our Michael,_ would have the presence of mind to put a clue to his whereabouts in a painting he sent us?" He bit into a french fry, and chewed methodically, while Liz searched the painting for a clue.  
  
"Got it!" Liz cried, triumphantly. "Yes, I do believe that our Michael would leave a clue for us. Not in the painting, but on the back of the canvas. It's a phone number." She grabbed a pen and scribbled the number on a napkin and stood up.  
  
"Where are you going, now?" asked Max.  
  
"I'm going to use the payphone over there," Liz said. "There must be a reason why we can't reach Michael on his old cell. I'm going to play cautious and not use our phones either."  
  
"Go for it, Ms. Drew," said Max. "This is your show."  
  
Liz walked to the phone, and used her powers to nudge the coin mechanism. She rapidly dialed the number she had scribbled on the napkin and waited impatiently while the phone rang.  
  
"Hi, you have reached WRComet Enterprises," said the unfamiliar voice on the phone. If you are calling about classes, press 1. If you are calling about your picture, please press 2."  
  
Liz looked at Max, her expression puzzled, but she pressed 2 on the phone.  
  
"WRComet picture division," said the voice. "How may I help you?"  
  
"Who is this please?" Liz asked, cautiously.  
  
"Chica, is that you? Listen, it isn't safe to talk, just go to the picture."  
  
"Look, what's going on?" began Liz, but her only answer was a dial tone.  
  
"Liz, what is it?" asked Max, when she returned to the table.  
  
Liz took a large bite from her burger and chewed hungrily before she answered.  
  
"The number took me to one of those automated phone thingies," said Liz. "You know, press 1 for this, press 57 for that. Anyhow, it was for WRComet Enterprises."  
  
"WRComet Enterprises?" asked Max. "As in West Roswell High Comets? How lame."  
  
"Not too lame," said Liz, taking another bite of her burger. She paused to wipe the away the juice that dripped down her chin. "God, this is good. It's been so long since _anything_ has tasted this good. Anyhow, it said if you were calling about your picture, press 2, so I did, and Maria, or at least I think it was Maria came on the line. She called me Chica, said it wasn't safe, and to go to the picture."  
  
"So, what do you think?" asked Max. He was careful not to make all the decisions; he didn't want to be anybody's king.  
  
"I don't know," said Liz, dipping a fry in some ketchup. "I suppose it could be a trap, but we have to go somewhere and do something. At least if we're there, we're on our own turf."  
  
"We should call the Sheriff," said Max. "Let him know what's going on, and that we're on our way home."  
  
"Good idea," said Liz through another mouthful of burger. "Do you want to go make that call?"  
  
Max said that he would. Liz watched as he walked to the phone, then lifted her hand to call over the waitress.  
  
"Miss, if you have a second, could I get two more of these to go please?"


	7. Chapter Six Miles to Go

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and it's characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Six** – _Miles to Go_  
  
Liz leaned her head against the car window, and watched the night darkened scenery speed by.   
  
_Go to the picture,_ she thought to herself. _The obvious answer is the Granolith, but why? Why would Michael want us to go back there?_ Liz sighed and continued to stare out into the darkness. Max reached over and took her hand in his.  
  
"It's going to be okay, Liz," he said. "I know you don't want to go back there, but don't have a choice. Someone is out there, and they are trying to hurt people we care about. We have to stop them."  
  
"I know, I just wish we could talk to Michael or Isabelle, or _someone!_" she cried. "We're running blind, and we already know how well _that_ always works out."  
  
Max didn't say anything for several minutes. He drove on through the darkness, trying to find the right words to make Liz feel better about their journey. The yellow lines on the road passed as the miles sped by, and still Max was silent. He spotted a deserted rest area, and pulled in, and shut of the ignition. He turned in his seat and faced Liz.  
  
"We won't go back," he said. "The thought of going back is killing you. I can feel it. I can't do that to you, Liz. I'll find someplace safe for you to stay, and then I'll go meet Michael."  
  
"We can't, Max," Liz said. "You're right. I don't want to go back. I'd rather die than go back, but we don't have a choice. The thought of going back _is_ killing me, but **someone** is killing our friends, and we have to stop them."  
  
"Liz, don't. We'll find some other way," said Max. "You don't want to do this, and I don't want to put you in any danger."  
  
"Max, you put me in danger the day you healed me!" shouted Liz.  
  
Max pulled back violently, as if slapped.  
  
"Max, wait, that didn't come out right," said Liz. She reached out and put her hand on his arm. "I know you would have never willingly put me in danger, any more than you could have sat there and watched me die. What I meant was, from that day on, I was in danger, but so were you. You put yourself in danger to save my life. How can I turn my back on my friends just because I'm afraid to face my fears?"  
  
"Well, there's something else bothering you," said Max. "You've been way too quiet."  
  
"Well, for one thing, I'm hungry again," said Liz. "But also, I'm concerned. We're going rushing into Roswell, based upon a picture, and a cryptic phone call from Maria. It just doesn't feel right to me."  
  
"Okay," said Max, starting the car and pulling back out onto the highway. "We'll stop in the next town and get some food, and try and come up with a plan. Why are you so hungry all of a sudden? Liz, you're not pregnant, are you?" Max asked, his voice both hopeful and fearful.  
  
"No, I'm not," said Liz. "For a long time, nothing I ate had any taste at all. It was like I was eating sawdust or something. I could taste the seasonings, but it's like nothing was _good._ I don't know if that makes any sense. But today, it seemed like my taste buds woke up or something. I just can't get enough food in my mouth. I'm trying to make up for almost two years of tasteless nothingness."  
  
"I wish you had told me how you were feeling," said Max.  
  
"I couldn't, Max, because I didn't really know myself," explained Liz. "Look, do you mind if I try and get some rest before we stop to eat? In addition to hungry, I'm also very, very sleepy."  
  
"No problem," said Max. He pushed he car seat back a little, and Liz loosened her seat belt and laid down on the bench seat, her head in Max's lap. As he drove, Max absentmindedly ran his fingers through Liz's hair.  
  
_Michael painting. Maria on a stage. Someone watching, always watching. Isabel walking down the streets of New York. A shadowy figure following behind. Four identical paintings standing on easels around a sun filled room. Liz watches Michael paint. Reflections in the glass. Isabel looks into a store window. Liz's face appears in the glass beside Isabel. The shadow looms up behind Isabel. Max! But it's not Max. Run. Michael's studio destroyed. The shadow figure looks at the destruction in satisfaction. Max's face appears reflected in the mirror. Crowded airport. Alex and Isabel run. Michael and Maria on a plane flying into the sun. Kyle and Ava drive down a deserted road. The road is shrouded in darkness. The darkness swallows the car._  
  
"Kyle!" Liz screamed.  
  
"Liz. Shhh. It's okay sweetie. You just had a bad dream or something. Relax, it's okay."  
  
"No, it's not okay. It's not," said Liz," sobbing, brokenly. "It wasn't a dream, Max. It was a vision, I know it was." Liz took deep breath and reached for her bag. She reached in and pulled out he journal. "Give me a second," she said. "Let me write it all down, before I forget, and then we can go over it." She scribble frantically in her journal, trying to recall every sight, and every sound.   
  
"Liz?" Max asked softly. "I'm gong to pull over up here. There's a Denny's up ahead. We can get something to eat, and we can try and figure it out, okay?"  
  
"It was you, Max. We're in danger, but I kept seeing you," babbled Liz. "How could it be you? You're right here with me."  
  
"Calm down, Liz," said Max. He parked the car in the well-lit parking lot and undid his seatbelt. "We're going to go inside, get some coffee and some food, and we're going to talk."  
  
Liz climbed out of the car her journal clasped tightly in her hand, and followed Max into the restaurant. They were seated quickly, and placed their orders.  
  
Max waited until Liz finished her first cup of coffee. When she placed the cup back on it's saucer, he took her hand in his.  
  
"Now, tell me everything. Don't leave anything out."


	8. Chapter 7 In a New York Minute

**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Seven  ** _In a New York Minute_  
  
"I can't believe we're in New York!" squealed Maria. She threw her arms around Michael and hugged him excitedly. "Us, here, now, in the Big Apple. It's fantastic."  
  
"If you ever call it that again, we'll have to pretend not to know you," said Isabel, dryly.   
  
"Shut up, Isabel," Maria said, amicably. "We are here in New York City, the hub of the music world. You are _not_ going to rain on my parade."  
  
"You are such a geek, DeLuca," said Alex. "And you, my dear wife are not any better. You're just as excited as Maria, and you know it."  
  
"All right, fine, I am excited," said Isabel. "I'm just trying to be a bit more restrained about it."  
  
"Okay, great, we're all excited," said Michael. "Now can we _please_ get something to eat and I don't know, _maybe_ start looking for a place to live?"  
  
"Oh, can we please, please, please go to China Town to eat?" begged Maria. "Real, honest to God Chinese food. Please, can we?"  
  
"God, yes," said Isabel. "Anything to shut you up." She sounded condescending, but the grin on her face showed the others that her griping was good-natured.  
  
The four Roswellians quickly found a hotel, and stowed their luggage and set out to eat, and explore their new city.  
  
"So, stay together or split up?" asked Alex, his mouth full of mu shu pork.  
  
"Split up," said Maria and Isabel simultaneously.  
  
"Split up," agreed Michael.  
  
"So, I'm guessing you don't want to get a place together, then?" deadpanned Alex.  
  
"Look, Alex. It's not that I don't love you to pieces," said Maria. "You know I do. But this is a chance for all of us to spread our wings and explore the world."  
  
"Much as it pains me to say this," said Isabel. "Maria is right. I mean, it's not like we can't hang out and stuff, but we need to be on our own for a while."  
  
"Pass the fried rice," said Michael. He reached out and took the silver dish that Isabel passed to him. "Damn, it's cold." He focused on the dish still in his hand, and the rice began to steam. "There, that's better. Anyhow, here's what I think. We should start apartment hunting today, and we can hook back up for dinner, and see what we've found. What do you think?"  
  
"It sounds like a plan," said Alex. "Damn, the tea is cold too," he said, hefting the silver teapot in his hand. "I'm not too impressed with your authentic Chinese restaurant Maria. He used his powers to heat the tea and poured himself a cup, and liberally added sugar.   
  
"Let's pay the bill and get out of here, then," said Maria. "And somebody else can pick the place for dinner. I don't seem to be having much luck in that department."  
  
They paid the bill, and walked out into the steamy New York heat. None of them noticed the stranger who followed them out of the restaurant, after paying special attention to their table littered with leftover Chinese food, and empty bottles of Tabasco sauce.  
  
_Later that night_  
  
"Oh, God, this pizza is so good," moaned Maria. "That crap they served at the Flying Pepperoni pales in comparison. Now, on to more important business, did you guys find a place to live?"  
  
"Yeah," said Alex. "It's not the penthouse of Isabel's dreams. But it's a nice 2-bedroom apartment, not too far from the university. The rent is astronomical, but money isn't a problem."   
  
"Thank God, for that," said Isabel. "I never realized what an expensive city this is. Have you guys found anything, yet?"  
  
"A couple of places," said Michael. "Since we weren't looking for something rent controlled, we had pretty good luck. We have an appointment to go back and look at one again tomorrow."  
  
"Yeah, that will give them a chance to kill all the cockroaches," said Maria. "Michael, those places were dumps. I think we can afford to raise our standards just a little."  
  
"Define dump, for me, will you, Maria?" said Alex. "Cause some how, I'm thinking your idea of dump, and the rest of the world's version of dump just aren't the same."  
  
"Thank you, Alex," said Michael. "I found a 2 bedroom apartment in a renovated brownstone. Maria's just unhappy because it's on the third floor."  
  
"Well, I don't for one second think it's going to be _you_ carrying all the grocery bags up the three flights of stairs, Michael Guerin," said Maria, her voice tinged with annoyance.  
  
"Is that the only thing you hate about that apartment, Maria?" asked Isabel."  
  
"Yeah, other than that, it's pretty nice. We'd have access to the roof, and there's a cute little patio garden up there, and the landlord seems really nice. It's just all those stairs," Maria's voice trailed off.  
  
"You know those new found powers of yours Maria? Well, did you ever think about making the bags nice and light?" asked Isabel.  
  
"I can do that?" Maria asked, her voice filled with awe.  
  
Isabel rolled her eyes in an 'Oh please, spare me,' look. "Of course you can, Maria. Tell me honestly, do you ever do anything more with your powers than fix your hair?"  
  
"Not since we got rid of Tess, the phantom menace," admitted Maria.  
  
"Well you should," said Isabel. "You never know what's going to be out there."  
  
"Lighten up, will you?" said Maria. "Tess is dead, Rath and Lonnie are dead. What else so we have to worry about? Kivar getting in his UFO and flying down to kidnap us?"  
  
"Maybe," said Michael. "In any event, it wouldn't make sense for any of us to not to keep our powers honed."  
  
"Excuse me," said a man, walking up to the booth where they sat. "May I borrow your hot pepper flakes?"  
  
"Oh, sure," said Isabel. She grabbed the glass shaker of pepper flakes and passed it to the guy. "Here you go."  
  
"Thanks," he said, reaching for the flakes.  
  
Isabel looked closely at him for a second, then looked quickly away. She waited until he was out of earshot before she spoke.  
  
"Let's get out of here," she said. "That guy, the pepper guy. There's something about him that I'm just not liking."  
  
"Okay, Isabel, no sweat," said Alex. He jumped up and went to the counter and got a box to put the leftover pizza in. He returned and quickly slid the leftover pie into the box. "See, no problem. We're out of here."  
  
The group exited the restaurant, quickly. Alex, Isabel and Maria turned left, and Michael turned right and crossed the street. He then reversed direction and walked back until he stood on the opposite side of the street from the restaurant. He watched as the stranger exited the building and walked in the direction that Maria and the others took.   
  
As he walked down the street, he pulled out a cell phone and dialed a number.  
  
"It's me," he said when the call connected. "Isabel was right, he's following you. I want you to turn left at the next intersection, then cross the street. There's a department store there. Duck inside and split up. We'll meet in the sporting goods department." Michael disconnected the call, and shoved his phone back in his pocket. He watched as Maria and the others turned down the block and entered the department store. Much to his dismay, the stranger walked past the department store without giving it a single glance.


	9. Chapter Eight Somebody's Eyes are Watch...

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and it's characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Eight**    _Somebody's Eyes are Watching_  
  
Maria stood on the stage, singing, looking out into the smoky darkness of the small nightclub. She couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her. She grabbed the mike out of it's stand, and began to weave her way through the audience, singing first to one person than another, as she tried to locate the stranger that followed them from the pizza parlor.   
  
The song drew to a close, and Maria quickly made her way back to the stage.  
  
"Thank you ladies and gentlemen," she said to the small round of applause. We're going to do one last number, before the club closes. It's a particular favorite of mine. Before we begin, lets give a round of applause for the guys in the band."  
  
Maria half turned to face the musicians that backed her up and applauded. She signaled the drummer who gave a downbeat, and the band swung into Full of Grace, by Sarah McLachlan. When the song ended, she thanked the audience, and started to help break down the instruments.  
  
"We got it, Maria," said Mick, the drummer. "Besides, Michael just walked in. Looks like he's ready to take you home."  
  
"Don't worry, guys. Michael'll wait. He knows this is part and parcel of the whole music gig," said Maria. "Besides, if we do it together, it will get done faster, and we can all get home that much sooner."  
  
"Thanks, Maria," said Jack, they keyboardist. "I have an early class tomorrow, and the professor is a real hard ass about people blowing off his class."  
  
"Imagine that," Maria said dryly. "A professor that expects you to actually go to class. Go figure."  
  
When they finished, Maria walked over to the table where Michael sat, waiting patiently.  
  
"Thanks for waiting," she said to him.  
  
"You could have hurried," he answered with a grin.  
  
"You could have helped," she shot back, the smile on her face revealing that their argument was more of a well loved game.   
  
"How was the show tonight?" Michael asked. "I wanted to get here earlier, but we were busy tonight."  
  
"The show was fine, Michael. I wish you could have been here too, but I know you have to work. I just don't get why you're working on a loading dock," Maria complained.  
  
"I like it, Maria. I don't _need_ to work at all, but I enjoy it," Michael said, simply.  
  
"I know, I'm sorry," said Maria, apologizing. "I'm just on edge a little."  
  
"Why?" demanded Michael. "Did something happen tonight?"  
  
"No, nothing _happened,_ but I think there was someone out there watching.  
  
"Would it be pointless for me to point out that you are on stage singing, and people pay to watch you," said Michael.  
  
"Not that kind of watching, jerk." She stopped to wave goodnight to the band as the prepared to troop out the back door of the club. "Come on, lets get out of here too," she said.   
  
Michael helped Maria gather her belongings in an unexpected show of gallantry, and escorted her out of the club onto the New York streets that still bursting with life, even at 2:00 a.m. He led her over to his motorcycle and handed her a helmet, and waited while she climbed on.  
  
"This is not easy in a dress," she complained.  
  
"You could always walk," he countered.  
  
"Shut up and drive, Space Boy!"  
  
Michael kick started the bike, and it roared to life. He merged out into traffic and gunned the engine. Maria's delighted laughter could be heard as he tore down the street.  
  
In the darkness of a deserted doorway, a stranger watched as they drove down the street.  
  
Isabel Evans Whitman walked down the street, her head filled with fashion design, and her arms filled with groceries for tonight's dinner. Suddenly, she felt as if she had collided with a brick wall, and the bags when flying from her arms.  
  
"I'm so very sorry," said a man, who bent down to help her up.  
  
"No, no, it was my fault," said Isabel, scrambling to pick up her groceries. "I wasn't looking where I was going." She glanced at the man, making note of his gray Armani suit, and gold Rolex watch.  
  
"No, really, it was my fault," said the man. "Please check, is anything damaged. I'll replace it for you."   
  
Isabel looked up at him, and felt a shudder of fear go down her spine. _This man is dangerous,_ she thought to herself. She did a quick survey of her items, trying to contain herself before she spoke.  
"No, really everything seems to be fine," said a flustered Isabel, still stuffing things into the bags.  
  
"Oh, look," said the man. "Your bottle of wine has a crack in it."  
  
"It doesn't matter," said Isabel, taking the bottle from him. "It's not a very god bottle of wine, anyhow. She crammed the leaking bottle into her bag, and stood up. "Thank you for all your help."   
  
She began to walk away, but ducked into an empty doorway to look back at the man, but he was gone. The sidewalk teamed with people but the guy in the Armani was nowhere in site. She looked around to make sure she was unobserved, placed her bags on the ground, and reached in and pulled out the leaky bottle of wine. She passed her hand over the bottle, and sealed the crack, and returned the wine to its bag. She leaned down to lift both bags, using her powers to make them light as a feather, and resumed her trip home. She was so intent on leaving, that she failed to notice the young man in the baseball cap leaning against the street lamp, watching her every move.  
  
Alex carried the last of the platters to the table, and sat down next to Maria.  
  
"So you still up for us coming to hear you sing, tonight?" he asked.  
  
"I guess," said Maria, with uncharacteristic quietness.  
  
"Hey, if you don't feel up to it, it's no big," said Alex. "Isabel and I can come another night. Right Isabel?"  
  
"Hmm, oh yeah," said Isabel.  
  
"You okay?" Michael asked, sotto voce.  
  
"No, actually, I'm not," she said. "The strangest thing happened on my way home today, and it has me worried." She explained the incident with the guy in the Armani suit. "My reaction to him was similar to the one I had with the guy at the pizza place," she finished. "I felt like he was seeing right inside of my soul."  
  
"That's too freaky," said Maria. "The other night when I was singing, I felt like someone was watching me. I mean really watching me, not me singing, you know? I kind of got he feeling I used to get when I knew Tess was going to show up."  
  
"Something strange is going on," said Michael. "We all have to be extremely aware of our surroundings from now on."  
  
"Do you think we should call Max?" asked Isabel.  
  
"No, I most especially do not think we should call Max," said Michael. "He and Liz do not need this kind of stress in their lives right now. Until we know what this is, we can deal with it on our own. For now, we keep them out of the loop, agreed?"  
  
The other three nodded. The meal continued, as the four discussed various possibilities, but nobody was able to come up with a reasonable idea of what or who was watching them, or why.  
  
"What about Kyle and Ava?" asked Maria, suddenly. "Should we try and get a hold of them?"  
  
"That might not be a bad idea," said Alex, reaching for his cell phone. He punched in Kyle's number and waited.  
  
"Kyle, hey, how you doing? It's Alex."  
  
_I know who it is,"_ came Kyle's voice over the cell phone. _Number 1, I'm not stupid, and number 2, I have caller id on this thing. Anyhow, what's up?"_  
  
"Well, honestly, we're not sure, but it is something," said Alex. "Maria's been getting some weird feelings, like someone has been watching her, and Isabel has had run ins with two different guys that have totally freaked her out. We're not sure if any of it means anything, but we just wanted to give you guys a heads up."  
  
_Thanks, man._ said Kyle. _Listen, maybe you guys could keep this to yourselves for a bit, and not tell Max and Liz about it. They really need a chance to just have a life, you know?_  
  
"That's exactly what Michael said, and we all agreed," said Alex. "Where are you guys headed now?"  
  
_Actually, we're on our way back home. Ava really misses Roswell, so we're going to head back there for a while and just hang, and figure out what to do next._  
  
"Cool. Say hi to everyone for us, will ya?" He looked at Michael who was motioning for the phone. "Hang on a second, Kyle, Michael needs to talk to you for a second." He passed the phone to Michael and took a forkful of spaghetti.  
  
"Valenti? Listen up. I'm going to be sending you guys something in the next week or two. Where should I send it?"  
  
_My dad's place, we're headed back there._  
  
"Great, watch for it. We'll see you later." He disconnected the call and tossed the phone back at Alex who had to drop his fork to catch the phone.  
  
"Jerk," he said, good naturedly as he wiped in effectually at the sauce stains on his shirt.  
  
"Here, let me," said Isabel. She waved her hand over his sleeve and the stains vanished. "So, what are you sending Kyle and Ava, and why aren't you buying me, you're oldest and dearest friend presents too?" Isabel asked Michael.  
  
"Forget it, Isabel, you're not getting any information out of me," said Michael, as he helped himself to more salad. "Except for maybe a compliment on the great meal."  
  
"Do my ears deceive me?" quipped Isabel. "The stoic Michael Guerin paying compliments?"  
  
"Watch it, or you won't get even that," said Michael.   
  
"Children, children," said Maria, raising her hands. "Play nice, or there is no dessert for you."  
  
"Dessert, I forgot dessert," moaned Isabel.  
  
"Lucky for you, I didn't," said Maria. "We picked up a cheesecake on our way over here."  
  
"It's so nice to get together just like we were normal couples," said Isabel as she stood to go get the cheesecake."  
  
"Yeah, too bad we're not," said Alex, softly.


	10. Chapters 9 and 10 The Guerin Code and Fa...

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Nine** _The Guerin Code_  
  
Michael entered the small room, just as the sun broke on the horizon. Two walls of windows, and a large skylight ensured that the room would be filled with light. Michael, however, didn't want to wait for the morning light. He stood before four canvases and stared thoughtfully for a while. Finally, he picked up his easel, and began to mix colors on the palette.   
  
"I need to get this just right," he said to the empty room. "I don't want to give it away to whomever is watching us. But, it has to be something meaningful to everyone. Something they'll be able to figure out in a second."  
  
He allowed his mind to drift back over the past several years, searching for one image that would tell everyone where to go if there was danger. Suddenly, his mind focused on one image, and he reached for his brush and began to paint, feverishly.  
  
Under his skilled hand, the image appeared, and was duplicated three times, on the three other canvases. He stood back, sweat soaked from his painting and surveyed the pictures.  
  
"Perfect," he said out loud. "Nobody, and I mean nobody will ever figure out what these pictures mean."  
  
A sudden knock at the door caused him to spin around, his hand raised in a protective stance.  
  
"Maintenance," called a voice from the other side of the door. "Is there anybody in there?"  
  
"I'm coming," said Michael, lowering his hand, and walking towards the door. He pulled the door halfway open and growled, "What do you want?"  
  
"Hey, sorry to disturb you, sir, but the building owner got a complaint of roaches on this floor. I have to stick these stupid traps in every office."  
  
"I don't have any roaches," snapped Michael. "So I don't need any roach motels, or whatever."  
  
"Aw, come on, give a guy a break," said the maintenance worker. "Do you really think I want to be doing this? My boss will have a cow if it doesn't get done. I came in early cause I didn't think there'd be anybody here this early."  
  
"Find, come in," said Michael, grudgingly. He pushed the door open and stepped back, allowing the maintenance man access to the room. He quickly dispensed his roach motels and turned to Michael.  
  
"Thanks a million, guy. I really appreciate this."  
  
"Sure, no problem," said Michael, holding the door open, trying to hasten the workers departure.  
  
"Say, those sure are some beautiful paintings," said the other man. "Nice colors and such. What are they?"  
  
"Nothing," said Michael. "Their nothing at all, just a reminder of home."  
  
"Well, they ain't like any home I've ever seen, but what do I know about art? You have a good day now," said the man. He walked out the open door, and Michael closed and locked it behind him.   
  
He walked back over to the paintings, and carefully removed the first one from the easel. On the back, he carefully wrote the number to the new cell phone he picked up last night. He returned the picture to its stand, and carefully repeated the procedure three more times.  
  
He looked around the room, and went to the windows and pulled all the blinds. Then he stood on a table, and touched the glass in the skylights, turning it black, shrouding the room in total darkness. He went to each picture, and passed his hand over it, quickly drying the paint. He carefully wrapped them in plain brown paper, and gathered them up.  
  
Michael left his makeshift studio, using his powers to make the lock on the door impenetrable. From there, he made his way to the elevator, down to the first floor and out on to the teaming city street. He walked a short distance to a Mailboxes etc. and made arrangements to have two of the paintings shipped overnight delivery. One to Max and Liz in California, and the other to Kyle and Ava back in Roswell.  
  
From there, he made his way to Isabel and Alex's apartment. He knocked, but nobody was home. He used his powers to unlock the door and left the picture sitting on the sofa. Grabbing a pen from the nearby desk, he wrote: Here is your surprise. If things get bad, go to the picture.  
  
Michael picked up the last painting and headed home, hoping to arrive before Maria awoke. His luck, however, had run out. Maria was waiting for him when he opened the door, and from the expression on her face, he knew he was in for a world of hurt.  
  
"Hi," he said after he shut the door behind him. "When did you get up?"  
  
"About forty five minutes ago," said Maria. "And imagine my surprise, no husband, no note, it was like you were abducted by aliens or something."  
  
"I'm sorry, Maria I should have left a note," said Michael.  
  
Maria stopped dead, her mouth hung open as she stared in surprise at her husband.   
  
"You apologized _and_ said I was right?" she asked incredulously. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing's wrong that I know of," said Michael. "But I had to go do something. Now I have to do the rest of something, but I need your help with that. First though, I want you to see something." He handed Maria the picture and waited.  
  
"Well, I guess I can rule out bagels and cream cheese," she said, placing it on the coffee table in front of her. She pulled at the wrapping and slowly the picture was revealed. "Oh God, Michael, it's beautiful. It's perfect. It's us."  
  
"You like it then?" Michael asked, nervously.  
  
"Like it, I love it," said Maria. It's perfect. We can hang it right over here," she said, carrying to a wall across the apartment.  
  
"No, we can't," said Michael. "If you want to keep it, we need to ship it to your mom or something," he said.  
  
"What! Why!" shouted Maria. "You paint me this beautiful picture and then tell me we can't keep it. Michael Guerin, are you insane?"  
  
"Well, maybe, if you shut up and listen," said Michael. "I can explain it all to you."  
  
"Fine," said Maria, throwing herself on the couch in a huff. "I'm listening. Her foot tapped impatiently, and she drummed her fingers on her leg.  
  
"I gave one to Kyle and Iz, and I shipped one to Max and Liz, and one to Kyle and Ava," he explained.  
  
"That's nice, why can't I keep mine?" snapped Maria.  
  
"Look on the back, will you, Maria?"  
  
Maria sat on the edge of the sofa, and picked up the picture and turned it over. On the back she saw the phone number Michael had written. She didn't say anything, just raised and eyebrow, and looked at him enquiringly.  
  
"That number is for this phone," he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a phone. "I want you to keep it with you at all times, if it rings, I want you to answer and say this." He reached into his pocket again, and pulled out another piece of paper with some words written on it.  
  
"Hi, you have reached WRComet Enterprises," read Maria. . If you are calling about classes, press 1. If you are calling about your picture, please press 2. Michael, what kind of game is this? You want me to answer it and tell people to punch buttons. This is stupid!"  
  
"Look, Maria, I think we're in danger. Max and Kyle will find the number on the back of the picture, they're not stupid. But we can't take any chances. I'm betting whoever is following us isn't stupid either. If they find the number, answering like that may throw them off track."  
  
"And if it's Kyle, or Max," said Maria, realization dawning on her. "They'll know it's us because we went to West Roswell High, home of the Comets. Not bad Guerin, not bad at all. And what do I tell our callers, if I may ask?"  
  
"Go to the picture," said Michael. "They'll know what you're talking about, right away."  
  
"Well, I have to admit, it's pretty clever," said Maria, looking at her husband with admiration. "The only thing that would have been better is if you brought bagels."  
  
With a mock growl, Michael crossed the room, and swung Maria up in his arms. He walked towards their bedroom and pushed the door open with his foot. He placed Maria on the bed, and lay down beside her and began to kiss her. Maria lifted one hand off his back and waved it, and the room turned dark.

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Ten** _Familiar Stranger_  
  
Isabel walked down the street, looking in the windows of the various department stores, admiring the clothes that were displayed there. One particularly beautiful outfit caught her eye, and she stopped to look at it, trying to decide if it was a good style for her. As she looked, she became aware of someone standing beside her. She pulled her focus away from the clothing display, and tried to find the person's reflection in the glass. She put her hand to her mouth to hold back the screams that threatened to erupt. Standing next to her in the reflection was Max. She looked out of the corner of her eye to where the stranger stood, but it wasn't Max. She knew it wouldn't be, but she had to check. She turned slightly preparing to take flight, when the stranger looked directly at her. It was the man in the Armani suit that had bumped into her the week before.  
  
"We meet again," said the man.  
  
"Ex-excuse me," said Isabel. "I'm late for an appointment." She started to walk away, but the stranger grabbed her.  
  
"Lonnie," he said.  
  
Isabel felt the blood leave her face when she heard that hateful name. "I'm sorry, you made a mistake," she said. She pulled her hand away, and ran down the street. She jumped into a miraculously empty taxi, and gave her home address. As soon as the taxi began to move, she got her cell phone and called Alex.  
  
"Come home, right now," she said. "I need you!" She hung up the phone and wrapped on the glass separating her from the driver. "Turn down here," she instructed.  
  
"Lady, that ain't the way to the address you gave me," he complained.  
  
"I know," said Isabel. "I forgot, I have an errand to run."   
  
The taxi made the turn, and drove down the street for several blocks. Again Isabel knocked on the glass, and asked the driver to pull over. She paid the fare, and included a healthy tip, and disappeared into the crowd that was headed down to the subway.  
  
Alex arrived home before Isabel in a complete panic. He ran through the empty apartment calling her name. After he realized that she wasn't there, he went back to the living room and saw the package waiting on the couch. "Here is your surprise. If things get bad, go to the picture," he read.   
  
He knew he should wait for Isabel, but he pulled the wrappings off to reveal the picture.  
  
"Oh wow," he said. "Oh wow." He turned to the sound of the door behind him opening, and Isabel rushed in.  
  
"Isabel, what's wrong, what happened?" he demanded, before she even made it into the apartment.  
  
"We have to go, we have to leave here," she said. "Alex, someone is after us, and it's someone who knows who we are, who _I_ am."  
  
"Slow down, Sweetie, and tell me what happened," said Alex.  
  
"I was looking in a store window," began Isabel, "And I became aware of someone standing beside me." She took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself before continuing. "Alex," she said, her voice shaking. "When I looked at his reflection in the window, it was Max, but I knew it couldn't be him. So I turned to look, and it was that guy from the other night, the one in the Armani suit. He reached out and grabbed my hand. Alex, he called me Lonnie," she cried."  
  
"Fine, we're out of here," said Alex. "And I already know where we're going." He picked up the picture and handed it to Isabel. "Michael was here, and he left us something." He gave her the note, and she read it with a small smile.   
  
"What do you know," she said softly. "The General has a plan." She put the picture back on the sofa. She walked to the bedroom and pulled out a suitcase and began to pack methodically.   
  
"What do you want to do about our stuff?" asked Alex. "We don't want to leave anything important here, do we?"  
  
"We'll take what we can pack," said Isabel, "Including our laptops. The rest, we'll destroy.  
  
"Destroy?" said Alex. "Isabel, you worked so hard picking out the stuff for this apartment. Are you sure that's what you want to do?"  
  
"They're only things," said Isabel, unexpectedly. "Things can be replaced. But the picture's coming with us."  
  
Alex stopped walking towards the door, and stopped in amazement. "Everything else can be destroyed, but the picture comes?"  
  
"Yes," said Isabel, her voice resolute.  
  
"Okay," said Alex. "But, maybe we could ship it to your parents, or mine, rather than try and lug it cross country?"  
  
"Okay," Isabel conceded, "But before we ship it, I want to go over it with a fine tooth comb."  
  
Michael led Maria down the bustling street to the building that housed his makeshift studio.  
  
"I don't understand why you couldn't just do this at home?" she said. "Why rent a whole other space?"  
  
"It's hard to explain," said Michael. "But home is _our_ space with our energy. Painting comes from inside me, and I kind of needed _my_ space to figure out what I was going to make and how I was going to make it. I'm sure that bugs you."  
  
"No, actually, it doesn't," said Maria. "I get it totally. I'm not crazy about the fact that you couldn't tell me about it right away, but you've opened up so much in so many ways already Space Boy, I'm not going to complain about anything."  
  
Michael looked at Maria in amazement. The Maria of a few years ago would have been bugging him to let her in, and open himself up to her. Maybe they had both changed, for the better.  
  
"Come on, let's go inside," he said, wrapping his arm around her waist. They walked into the building and stepped into the elevator. When the elevator ground to a halt, they climbed out and the couple walked down the hallway. Michael stopped at the doorway located at the end of the hall, and used his powers to unlock the door.  
  
"Security," he said to Maria. "Nobody's getting in here without my knowing about it. They'd have to take the door off the hinges to get in."  
  
"Michael, don't you think you're being just a tad over protective," said Maria as Michael pushed the door open. Michael flipped on the light switch and the couple walked into the room. "Or, not," continued Maria, after she looked at the vandalized room.  
  
"Shit," said Michael. He spun around, looking at the overturned easels, the pushed in ceiling tiles, and the paint strewn over the floor. "Who the hell did this?" he asked.  
  
"I don't know, but I think they know you," said Maria, pointing to one of the walls that wasn't covered by windows.  
  
_**Why, Rath**_ was painted in blood red letters on the wall.  
  
"That's it, we're out of here," said Michael. He grabbed Maria by the hand, and the two ran.


	11. Chapter 11 Ready to Run

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Eleven** _Ready to Run_  
  
"Damn it Michael, stop pulling me!" demanded Maria. She wrapped her free arm around a lamppost and held on tightly, practically jerking Michael off his feet.  
  
"Maria, we so don't have time for this independent crap," said Michael. "We have to get out of here."  
  
"Yeah, I get that," said Maria. "And I know where we're going. But we are not just going to take off with out some semblance of a plan."  
  
"We have a plan, Maria," said Michael, his voice tinged with fear and frustration. "Our plan is to get the hell out of here."  
  
"Great, fine, that's _your_ plan. My plan involves going home, packing some clothes, and figuring out _how_ we're getting the hell out of her."  
  
"Maria, we don't need," began Michael, but Maria interrupted him.  
  
"No, we do need!" she shouted. "If I'm going to be running for my life, I am going to need a few of the creature comforts! We are **not** the Dixie Chicks, and we are **not** ready to run."  
  
"Look, I don't exactly think we're running for our lives, or anything," said Michael. "But I don't think we should stick around, either. Wait, did just call me a Dixie Chick? Never mind"  
  
"Great, if we're not running for our lives, we have time to go home and pack," said Maria, a smile playing on her lips. Michael realized that he was caught in a nice neat Maria trap, and smiled.  
  
"Fine, but we have to move fast. I don't want to stick around any longer than necessary."  
  
"Agreed," said Maria, and the two climbed on the back of Michael's bike and took off down the street.  
  
"Are you sure you don't mind heading back to Roswell so soon?" Ava asked Kyle.  
  
"No way, this trip is for you, Ava. You get to call the shots, and if you want to head home for a while, then we head home."  
  
"Well, Colorado is really beautiful, all the trees, and mountains and all. It's just that I never really had a home," said Ava. "Just Zan and Rath and Lonnie."  
  
"You never really talk about Zan," said Kyle. "You've told us how he died but that's about it. Was he like them, all mean and nasty, or was he more like Max?"  
  
"A little of both," said Ava. He was kinda mean, but not Rath and Lonnie mean. He tended to think about things. Rath and Lonnie were more about reacting. Don't get me wrong, he wasn't anywhere near as nice as Max or Michael, but he wasn't totally evil either."  
  
"You know, I've never asked, and you don't have to answer, but were you and he, like together?"  
  
Ava looked out the car to the woods that lined either side of the road. Twilight had filled them with sinister shapes and shadows. Ava thought for a few minutes before she answered.  
  
"Once," she said. "Just the one time. We knew we were _supposed_ to be together, but it never felt right. But he was my best friend Kyle. It was so hard after he was gone. Rath and Lonnie were very, very cruel."  
  
"It must have been so hard, seeing him die like that," Kyle said, compassionately, covering her hand with his.   
  
"Can I tell you something, Kyle?" Tess asked nervously.  
  
"You know you can tell me anything," said Kyle, squeezing her hand gently.  
  
"Zan's not dead."  
  
"What!" shouted Kyle. He turned his head towards Ava in shock. His hand jerked on the steering wheel, and the car jumped off the road and onto the shoulder. Kyle tried to jerk it back, but the right front wheel hit a rock, or a hole, and the car went careening off the road into the woods.  
  
"Max, we have to stop," said Liz. "Something's wrong with Kyle, I know it."  
  
"How do you know it?" Max asked, reasonably. "We haven't heard anything from them."  
  
"I just know, Max. "You have to trust me."  
  
"Fine," said Max. "Where do we go?"  
  
Liz thought for a minute, and said "North. We need to go north."  
  
"Fine, then north it is," said Max. He changed lanes, and drove for several miles before he came to an onramp for highway headed north. "Liz, not to be difficult or anything, but do you have any clue where we're headed?" he asked.  
  
"Colorado," said Liz, softly. "We need to go to Colorado."  
  
"It's a pretty big state, Sweetie," said Max. "Do you think you can narrow it down for us a bit?"  
  
"Not yet," said Liz, leaning her head against the glass of the window. "I just know that something's wrong, and their in Colorado."  
  
"Okay, look, I'm beat," said Max. "How about if we pull over, and grab something to eat, and then you take a turn driving. Maybe if you're focusing on where your driving, you'll get a sense of where we need to go."  
  
"You believe me, Max?" asked Liz. "Really?"  
  
"Look, Liz. We've really only begun to understand our powers, and Che'koth told us that it's only that our brains are more developed, well maybe you and Kyle have linked up somehow because I healed you both. Damn, I don't know," he continued, hitting his hand on the steering wheel. "But you're certain they're in danger, and that's good enough for me."  
  
"Thank you for believing me, Max." said Liz. "It means a lot to me."  
  
"Liz, you believed me, and kept my secret, and put yourself in danger countless times," said Max. "I think, an unscheduled road trip to Colorado doesn't even begin to compare." He pulled off at the exit, and followed the signs to a nearby restaurant. "Do you want eat in, or take out?" he asked.  
  
"Take out," said Liz. "I know you're tired, but I can't help but think time is of the essence here. We need to keep moving." She unconsciously gnawed on her thumbnail as she thought. "Grab me something while you're in there. I want to wait out here and think for a bit."  
  
"Okay," said Max. He climbed out of the car and walked up the stairs to the small roadside diner they'd found. Liz climbed out of the car, and walked around for several minutes, stretching her cramped muscles. She got back in the car, this time behind the wheel, and leaned back and closed her eyes.  
  
_Where are you, Kyle?_ she thought. _I know you're in trouble, but I don't know what's wrong. I only know we need to find you, and fast._ Liz forced her mind to focus on Kyle and Ava, trying to get some idea of where they were. Suddenly, she found herself standing on a winding road that climbed up into the mountains. Dense trees lined each side of the road. She looked up and saw a sign that said Lake City 15 miles. She looked past the sign, and saw skid marks on the road. Her eyes followed the path the skid marks took off the road, and she saw Kyle's car. She could barely make out two figures slumped over the dashboard in the thickening twilight.  
  
"Liz! Liz, come on, Liz! Wake up!" Max shouted. Liz felt a jerk in her stomach, and she sat up.  
  
"God, Liz, I was so worried. It was like you were dead or something. I couldn't wake you up," said Max, his fear and worry evident in his voice as well as his face.   
  
"I wasn't sleeping Max. I think I was astral projecting. Like I did that time you were in New York, remember? I found Kyle and Ava. They had a car accident. They're on some mountain road 15 miles outside of a place called Lake City."  
  
"Are they okay?" Max asked.  
  
"I don't know, they were both unconscious, I think," said Liz. She bit her lip in an unconscious gesture as she tried to recall as much as she could about what she had seen.  
  
"I'm going to call the Colorado State Police," said Max. "They may be hurt, and it's going to take us at least another two days to get there. Did you see a route number or anything?  
  
Liz closed her eyes, and tried to recreate the scene in her mind. She saw the road sign, and the skid marks, and a sign for the A & A Ranch.  
  
"They're not too far from the A & A Ranch," she said, triumphantly. She opened her eyes and looked at Max.   
  
"I'll go make the call, and then we'll head out," he said. He walked away from the car, stopped and turned back. He leaned in the open window and kissed Liz, fully on the lips. "You are wonderful," he said. He spun on his heel, and walked across the parking lot to the empty phone booth near the diner.


	12. Chapter 12 Rocky Mountain Meeting

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Twelve** _Rocky Mountain Meeting_  
  
_Liz, Liz, help us. Help!_  
  
"Sir, sir, can you hear me?" a voice called, penetrating Kyle's mind through the layers of unconsciousness. "We're going to get out of here, just hang on a second."  
  
"Ava," Kyle said, weakly. "Where's Ava?"  
  
"We've got the young lady out already, she's in the ambulance, on her way to the hospital," said the voice.  
  
"No blood work," said Kyle, struggling to open his eyes. "None."  
  
"Sir, let's not worry about that right now," said the voice. "We need to get you out of here." Kyle opened his eyes, squinting against the bright light that filled the car. He saw the face of a concerned fire fighter leaning over him. "Okay, we're going to try and lift you out now, sir, okay?" Hands reached in and started to ease Kyle from the crumpled car, and he screamed.  
  
"No! Stop! My leg is stuck!" shouted Kyle.  
  
"Hold up!" shouted the fire fighter. He looked down into the car and tried to ease Kyle's foot out. "You're stuck but good, son. Someone grab me the Jaws of Life," he yelled. The fire fighter turned back to Kyle and patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, sir, we'll get you out. Just hang on for a second."  
  
"Screw me," Kyle shouted. "Where's my wife? Where's Ava?"  
  
"She's in the ambulance, sir. We're preparing to evacuate her to the hospital now."  
  
"Do not, give her any blood," demanded Kyle. "Do not test her blood, nothing. Do you understand me?"  
  
"Yes sir," said his rescuer, reaching for his radio. He relayed the message to the departing ambulance, and then turned back to Kyle. "Okay, I told them, now I just want you to relax. We'll get you out of there and a minute."  
  
"I'm sorry, sir," said Kyle, trying to control his fear and his temper. "It's just that transfusions are against our religion. I didn't mean any disrespect."  
  
"That's okay, son," said the fire fighter. "Now, I just want you to lay back, and put on these goggles, and I'm going to cover you with this blanket. Stay covered, as soon at the jaws get here, we'll get you out." The fire fighter turned his back to retrieve the Jaws of Life, and Kyle slipped his hand down near his foot, and used his powers to free his foot from the twisted wreckage of his car.  
  
"Hey! Hey!" shouted Kyle. "I got my foot out." The fire fighter turned back to Kyle and looked into the car.  
  
"Well, I'll be damned," he said. "How the hell did that happen?"  
  
"I don't know," said Kyle. "I just kept wiggling my foot, and there it was. Can I get to the hospital to be with my wife, now?"  
  
"You got it," said the fire fighter. Two EMT's wheeled a gurney over to the car, and lifted Kyle out and onto the stretcher. They carried the stretcher over the bumpy ground and placed it into the ambulance. One of the EMT's climbed into the back beside Kyle, while the other started the ambulance and drove off towards the hospital.  
  
"What's you're name?" asked the EMT.  
  
"Kyle Valenti, and my wife Ava is in the other ambulance," answered Kyle. "What day is this?"  
  
"Today is Thursday," answered the EMT as he checked Kyle's pulse and temperature and respiration. "Do you have any idea how long you were down there?"  
  
"We were driving through Tuesday night, around dusk," said Kyle. "We stopped for dinner a couple of towns back. I forget the name of the place, but Ava grabbed one of their take out menus. It's probably still in the car."  
  
"Take out menu?" queried the EMT. "Are you two planning on settling down around here?"  
  
"No, we're on our way back home to New Mexico. Ava just likes to collect the take out menus from the places we've eaten," said Kyle. "It's a bit weird, but it makes her happy."  
  
"Don't feel bad," laughed the EMT. "My girlfriend collects those itty bitty teaspoons. I mean, what's the point in those, you can't use them for anything."  
  
Kyle laughed, then winced in pain. "Ouch, that smarts," he said. "I think I broke a couple of ribs or something."  
  
"You've had broken ribs before?" asked the EMT, lifting Kyle's shirt to examine him.  
  
"Yeah, I played football in high school," explained Kyle. "Ow, hey, watch it, will you," he shouted when the EMT touched a particularly tender area.  
  
"Sorry," said the EMT. "I understand that you won't authorize any transfusions or blood work to be done, is that correct?"  
  
"Uh, yeah, they go against our religious beliefs," said Kyle. "Just get me to the hospital, let me get my wife, and we'll rent a car and be on our way."  
  
"Let's just get you to the hospital, Kyle. That's all we're focusing on here," said the EMT, as he continued to examine Kyle's abdomen and chest area.  
  
"Mr. Valenti," said the doctor, pushing back the curtain to the cubicle in the emergency room. "I'm Dr. Wilson, and I'm just going to check you out, and then we'll talk."  
  
"No, we'll talk now," said Kyle, struggling to sit up on the emergency room table. "I want to know how my wife is."  
  
"Your wife is still unconscious," said the doctor. "That's one of the things we'll talk about _after_ I take a look at you."  
  
"I'm fine. Just take me to see my wife!" shouted Kyle.  
  
"Mr. Valenti, I'm going to insist that you calm down," said Dr. Wilson. "I'm afraid you are more seriously injured than you realize, and unless you let me examine you, you could be in serious danger. You won't do your wife any good if you don't take care of yourself."  
  
"Fine, let's get this over with," said Kyle. He leaned back on the gurney, and glared resentfully at the doctor.  
  
"Okay, we're going to need a few x-rays," said the doctor, stepping back from the table. "Someone will be down in a few minutes to take you to radiology."  
  
"Yeah, thanks," muttered Kyle.  
  
"Excuse me," said a voice from the other side of the curtain. "I'm looking for a Kyle Valenti. He was brought in from an accident a short time ago."  
  
"Right this way, Sheriff," said a female voice. " I believe the doctor is done with him."  
  
"Dad?" whispered Kyle incredulously. He looked expectantly at the curtain, and felt his hopes crash down around his feet when a tall blond man entered the room.  
  
"Mr. Valenti?" said the man. "I'm Sheriff Nickerson." He held out his hand to Kyle. Kyle reached out and shook his hand, and groaned at the pain the exertion caused.  
  
"You'll pardon me if I don't get up, Sheriff," said Kyle, with another groan. "You're here about the accident?"  
  
"Yes, I am, but before I get to that, can I just say, you looked incredibly disappointed when I walked in here. Were you expecting someone else?"  
  
"Expecting? No, not really. My dad is the sheriff in Roswell, New Mexico, and when I heard someone say sheriff out there, I,"  
  
"You figured that by some miracle, it was your father," continued Sheriff Nickerson.  
  
"Yeah," said Kyle, a bit sheepishly.  
  
"Well, I'm not him, but I can get word to him right away, how would that be?"  
  
"That would be great," said Kyle. "I didn't even thing about contacting him yet."  
  
"Well, I'll take care of that," said the Sheriff. "But for now, I have a few questions for you about the accident. Do you feel up to talking?"  
  
"Sure, if we make it quick, I guess they want to take me up to x-ray or something," said Kyle.  
  
"What happened out there, last night, Kyle?" asked the Sheriff. He took out a notebook, and waited for Kyle to answer.  
  
"Happened? Nothing really," said Kyle. "We were just driving and talking."  
  
"How did the accident occur?" asked the sheriff. "Did you see what the other car looked like?"  
  
Kyle looked at the sheriff, his confusion apparent. "What other car? We were talking." Kyle paused and thought for a moment, he didn't want to tell the Sheriff that he had taken his eyes off the road to look at Ava. "An animal ran in front of the car, I think it was a deer. Anyhow, I swerved to try and avoid it, and my car went onto the shoulder. I started to get control again, when it hit a rut, or a rock or something. We went crashing down into the brush, and that's the last thing I remember. There wasn't any other car involved, Sheriff."  
  
"You're sure?" questioned the sheriff.  
  
"Absolutely," answered Kyle. "Why?"  
  
"Well, we received an anonymous tip about your car," the sheriff responded.  
  
"Maybe somebody saw it from the road and called it in," said Kyle.  
  
"Except for your car was so far into the woods, it couldn't be seen from the road.  
  
"I'm sorry," interrupted a nurse. "We need to get this man up to radiology. You'll have to finish this later."  
  
"No need, we're done here," said the sheriff. "Kyle, I'll contact your father for you right away."  
  
"Thanks, Sheriff," said Kyle. "His name is Jim Valenti, and it's the Roswell, New Mexico Sheriff's Department."  
  
"You take care," said the sheriff. He stepped out of the cubicle, and the nurse pushed the gurney out of the cubicle, and into the quiet emergency room.  
  
"Can you tell me where my wife is?" asked Kyle.  
  
"She's up getting x-rayed right now," said the nurse. "The doctor will explain everything to you as soon as possible. Just lay back and relax."  
  
"Mr. Valenti," said Dr. Wilson. "I'm going to be very frank with you. You do have some fractured ribs, which we are going to tape up for you. You're going to need to take it easy for the next several days."  
  
"Yeah, fine, great," said Kyle. "What about Ava?"  
  
"Your wife is still unconscious," said the doctor. "The x-rays have shown that she has a fractured skull, and there is some swelling. We need to operate to relive the swelling."  
  
"NO!" shouted Kyle. "No operating. I refuse to sign the consent forms."  
  
"Mr. Valenti, if we don't operate, your wife could die."  
  
_And if you do operate,_ Kyle thought to himself. _You may find out that my wife is an alien, and then you'll dissect her. No freaking way._  
  
"I understand that, sir. But do you understand that our religious beliefs forbid the use of any invasive procedures? Now I demand that you take me to where you have my wife."  
  
"Damn religious nuts," said Dr. Wilson, under his breath. "Fine, I'll have the nurse wheel you to your wife's room." He stormed out of the room, paused at the nurse's station long enough to get someone to take Kyle to Ava's room, then went to the Doctor's Lounge. In the lounge, he picked up a phone, and called the hospital's chief administrator, and began to explain the problem.  
  
Liz and Max walked into the crowded café in Lake City, and sat at the crowded counter. Max passed Liz a menu. They scanned the menu, made their choices, and listened to the snippets of conversations that echoed around them.  
  
"Damned fool religious nuts," said one man. "Man's wife is going to die, and he won't let the doc's operate. Its nuts."  
  
"Maybe nuts, Charlie, but it's religious freedom, and that's what this country was founded upon," said the man's companion.  
  
"I hear they were stuck in their car for a couple of days," said the first man. "Could be that the husband isn't in his right mind."  
  
"Doesn't matter," said the other man. "Doc Wilson got the hospital to file some injunction or something, giving them the right to operate."  
  
Max looked at Liz and squeezed her hand. The slid off the stools and rushed out of the café.  
  
"Now what do you suppose was_their_ problem?" said the man, watching them run to their car.  
  
Liz walked up to the information booth in the hospital, and smiled brightly. "Hi, I was wondering if you could tell me what room Kyle Valenti is in?"  
  
The elderly woman at the desk looked up the information and smiled at Liz. "Of course, dear. Are you family?"  
  
"Family? Oh, yeah, family. I'm his sister-in-law," she improvised.  
  
"Now that's nice. Mr. Valenti is in 406."  
  
"Thank you," said Liz. She and Max ran to the elevator and pushed the button for the fourth floor. When the elevator stopped, the rushed out, and looked for the signs to point them in the right direction. Max tugged Liz by the arm as the two ran down the hall. He pushed open the door to 406, and found Kyle, struggling to get dressed.  
  
"Max, thank God," he said. "You have to find Ava, before it's too late. They want to operate on her. She has a fractured skull. Max, they can't operate."  
  
"What room is she in?" Max asked.  
  
"She's down the hall, in 417," answered Kyle. "  
  
Max rushed out of Kyle's room, and ran down the hall to Ava's room. He pushed open the door and stepped inside, taking care to make sure he wasn't observed. He walked over to Ava's bed and stared down at the small blond girl who lay there silently, as if sleeping. He put his hands on her head, and closed his eyes, and focused. Images of the life Ava led flashed through his mind. He saw the abuse she suffered at the hands of Lonnie and Rath. He saw Zan, his doppelganger protecting her. He saw Lonnie subdue Ava, while Rath shoved Zan into the path of the oncoming truck. He saw Zan get up, wave to Ava and run, while Rath and Lonnie laughed and congratulated themselves on the success of their plan.  
  
"Max?" said Ava. "What's going on. Where am I, and why are you here?  
  
"Shh," said Max. "You were in an accident, and you were hurt. I just healed you."  
  
"Kyle, is Kyle okay?" said Ava, struggling to sit up.  
  
"Kyle's fine. Look, give me a minute to get out of here, then call the nurse. Let them see that you're fine."  
  
"Thanks Max," said Ava, smiling at him.  
  
"Your welcome," said Max, but he didn't smile back. He slipped out into the hallway, and walked back down to Kyle's room.  
  
"She's okay," said Max. "She's awake, but we have another problem."  
  
"God, now what?" said Liz, rubbing her hand over her face.  
  
"You know how when I healed you," said Max. "I saw you. I got flashes of you?"  
  
"Yeah, so?" said Liz.  
  
"Well I got flashes from Ava too."  
  
"Okay, you got flashes, so what?" said Liz, confused.  
  
"He found out that Zan's alive," said Kyle.


	13. Chapter 13 Ava Tells All

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter 13** _Ava Tells All_  
  
"Look, we can't stick around the hospital," said Max. "We'll hook up later. Are you hurt, Kyle?"  
  
"Just some fractured ribs," said Kyle with a grimace. "Believe me, I'll let you fix me up later, but right now, you do need to get out of here before the find out that Ava's okay."  
  
"Listen, I'm not going anywhere until someone explains all of this to me," said Liz.  
  
"We've all got some explaining to do," said Max. "But this isn't the time, or the place. There's a small bed and breakfast on the main street. We'll check in there. Call us when you can get released, and we'll come get you."  
  
"Actually, the sheriff here contacted my dad, and I'll bet you anything he's already on his way out here. I'll get him to bring us to you."  
  
Max and Liz were walking to the door when Kyle called out to them.  
  
"How'd you guys know?" he asked.  
  
"It wasn't me," said Max. "Liz knew somehow. She had a feeling or something."  
  
"Liz?" asked Kyle. "How did you….?"  
  
"You called?" she said simply, to her friend.  
  
"And you came," he responded. "Cool, our own personal alien alert system. I like it. Now get out of here."  
  
Max and Liz left the hospital room and walked down the quiet hallway. They waited in silence for the elevator to arrive. The doors slid open, and out stepped Jim Valenti. Max smiled, and slightly shook his head, and climbed into the now empty elevator. Liz slipped her hand into the sheriff's and squeezed it gently, then followed her husband into the elevator. The two turned, and watched as the door closed on the sheriff's surprised expression.  
  
Max and Liz sat on the bed in the charming room they were given and ate the take out pizza that Max had picked up. There was a knock on the door, and Max opened it, assuming it was the desk clerk with the extra blanket they has requested. Instead he found Jim Valenti.  
  
"Come in, Sheriff," said Max, stepping back, and opening the door wider.  
  
"Max, what the hell is going on here?" demanded Jim. "I get a cryptic phone call from you saying you and Liz are on your way home, and need a place to hide. Kyle and Ava decide to come home unexpectedly, and I get not one, but three overnight packages from New York. Then I get a phone call telling me my son and daughter-in-law were in an accident, and it's not looking too good for her. I get here, and amazingly, she's completely healed. You'll have to excuse me if I'm just the littlest bit confused."  
  
"Sit down, Sheriff, and we'll try and fill in some of the gaps," said Liz. "We don't have all the answers you want, but maybe if we pool our information, some things will begin to make sense."  
  
"Fine," said the Sheriff. He pulled up a chair, and accepted the piece of pizza Max handed him. "Thanks," he said. "I haven't eaten since I got the call from the sheriff here in town. Roswell search and rescue used their helicopter to get me here. I went and saw Kyle, and he told me where you were staying. They wouldn't let me in to see Ava, but the doctors said she's doing remarkably well."  
  
Liz and Max explained about their friend Fred, and how he had died and about the surveillance equipment they had found in his apartment.  
  
"So you just left?" asked the Sheriff.  
  
"There's more, Sheriff," said Max.  
  
"Don't you think it's time to call me Jim?" said Valenti. "We've been through kind of a lot already."  
  
"Yeah," agreed Max, with a grin. "Anyhow, Michael sent us this picture. At first we kind of just thought it was beautiful, and Liz brought it with us when we ran. She found a phone number on the back, and managed to get through to Maria, who told us it wasn't safe, and to go to the picture."  
  
"And the picture was of Colorado?" queried Jim.  
  
"No, the picture is of the Granolith. We were on our way home, when Liz got this vision or something. She had the feeling that Michael and the others were in danger," explained Max.  
  
"So were Kyle and Ava," continued Liz. "But it was a different kind of danger. With Michael, and Isabel, I kept feeling as if someone was watching them, and that he was a danger. But I knew that Kyle and Ava weren't in that kind of danger. I saw their accident, and was able to figure out where they were."  
  
"And you called the state troopers," said Jim. "Smart, very smart. But what about Michael and the others, could you see who was following them?"  
  
"That's where it gets strange, well, stranger, anyhow," said Liz. "I kept seeing Max. He was the one following them, but that made no sense. At least not until today."  
  
"Why not until today, what made it make sense?" asked Jim.  
  
"When I heal people,' said Max, "I get flashes of their lives. When I healed Liz, I saw her growing up. Kyle too, I saw him playing T-ball the year you were his coach. Well, when I healed Ava, I got flashes too, but they weren't as nice as the snippets of Kyle and Liz's lives. Ava lived through hell, with Rath and Lonnie. They were always tormenting her. Zan did what he could, but it wasn't enough."  
  
"And then, Zan was killed by Rath and Lonnie," said Jim.  
  
"Well, that's what we thought," said Max. "But I saw a flash of the accident, and Zan survived. He waved to Ava, and ran, while Lonnie and Rath congratulated themselves on a job well done."  
  
"She mind warped them into thinking that their plan worked," said Jim in awe. "But why didn't she ever tell us?"  
  
"She told Kyle," said Max. "He knew, as soon as I told him I got flashes off of her, he knew what I had seen."  
  
"Kyle couldn't have known," said Jim. "He would never keep something like that from all of you. It's too important."  
  
"He knew, Jim. There's no doubt about it. But we didn't get a chance to talk to him about it. We didn't think it was a great idea to stick around the hospital, what with Ava's miracle healing, and all," said Max.  
  
"Look, Kyle's discharging himself against the doctors wishes," said Jim. "I'm supposed to go pick him up at 5:00 p.m. I'll bring him back here, and we can hash this out. I can't believe that Kyle would deceive you like that."  
  
"Jim, he wasn't deceiving us," said Liz. "Neither was Ava for that matter. There had to be a reason why she never told us about Zan. I'm not going to pass judgment on her, or Kyle."  
  
"Me either," said Max. "Go get him, and bring him back, and I'll heal his ribs, and then we'll talk. There isn't any point in trying to figure out the whys and wherefores now."  
  
"I'm going to head out now to the impound lot. That's where the put Kyle's car after the accident. I'll get their luggage and anything else I think they'll need. Then I'll bring Kyle, and Ava, if possible, back tonight," said Jim.  
  
"We'll go and get some more food," said Liz, happy to have something constructive to do.  
  
Several hours later, a knock on the door of Max and Liz's room heralded the arrival of Jim and Kyle. Liz threw open the door, and squealed in surprise at the sight of Ava, along with the others.  
  
"They let you out!" she exclaimed.  
  
"Well, they didn't have a choice, since there's nothing wrong with me," the petite blond answered with a small smile. "But I'm more than willing to guess that isn't what we need to talk about, is it?"  
  
"Well, there are a few things we should probably cover," said Max, "But first, I think I should take care of Kyle's ribs."  
  
"That would probably be a good thing," gasped Kyle, holding his side, gingerly. Max led him over to the bed, and Kyle laid down carefully, trying not to jostle himself in any way. Max closed his eyes, and focused, picturing Kyle's ribs. He could see them in his mind, with tiny cracks running through several of them. He focused, and imagined the cracks knitting together and becoming whole. As he did, he received more flashes from Kyle. This time he saw Kyle crying as he read the note his mother left him when she left their family. He saw Kyle and Ava laughing and running through the ocean together, and he saw the accident that brought them here; the car careening off the road and down into the woods, and he saw Liz, appear near the car.  
  
Max pulled his hands away and looked at Kyle, trying to hide the anger and resentment he felt at the connection that Kyle seemed to have with is wife. "How's that?" he said, a bit gruffly.  
  
"Great, Man," said Kyle. "I wish I could do that. I know Che'koth told us we could all do the same things if we worked on it, but I just haven't been able to manage it yet."  
  
"Look, can we just get this over with?" asked Ava, her voice trembling. "I know you all want to know about Zan, and I just want to do it now, before I lose my nerve."  
  
"Look, why don't we eat, while we're talking," said Liz. "Sometimes, it's easier to talk about something difficult if you're doing something else at the same time." She offered sodas and the leftover pizza, as well as chips and other snacks to the others, then sat on the bed next to Ava and waited for her to begin.  
  
"Well, you know Rath and Lonnie were really jazzed, cause Zan wouldn't meet with the delegation. We both heard them talkin' about doin sumptin to make Zan see it there way," Ava began, subconsciously slipping into the street language she used while living in New York. "We decided we was gonna get the hell outta New York. Zan wanted to try and find the other Zan," she nodded at Max, "And try and warn him."  
  
"He never made it," said Max.  
  
"No, I know," said Ava. "Anyhow, we was gonna split together, but Lonnie and Rath acted sooner than we thought, and I barely had time to mind warp those two losers, so that Zan could escape. He got out of the way of that truck just in time. He got outta the way, and stood up on the other side of the street, and waved to me. I think I knew then that he wasn't gonna come back for me. Then Rath and Lonnie decided that we should find the other Zan, and we hooked up with youse guys. None of youse ever said anything about Zan showin' up, so I knew he never made it. I just figured he was either dead, or just didn't give a shit no more and wasn't ever gonna show up."  
  
Ava looked up at the others. Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears. Liz reached out and ran her hand across Ava's back in a gesture of support.  
  
"You gotta believe me," she whispered. I wasn't trying to deceive you or anything. I just figured it didn't matter."  
  
"We know, Ava," Max said. He smiled at her, trying to reassure her. "You're our friend, and you would never intentionally hurt any of us, or put us in any danger."  
  
"I don't get why it's so important all of a sudden," said Ava. "I mean, it's been like two years, and I've never even heard from him. He must be dead."  
  
"He's not," said Max. "At least, not if Liz's vision is anything to go by."


	14. Chapter 14 Ticket to Ride

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Fourteen** – _Ticket to Ride_  
  
Isabel and Alex rushed through the terminal, racing against time as they tried to make their flight. Gasping for breath, they stopped at the security gate waiting anxiously for their turn to pass through the metal detectors. Alex went successfully through the metal detector first. He stopped on the other side to gather up his wallet, watch and cell phone, and put his shoes back on, and watch while Isabel had her turn. She stepped through the detector, and alarms sounded.  
  
"Please pass back through, ma'am," said the airport security official. Isabel smiled wanly, but complied, and stepped through the device again, and again, the alarms sounded. Isabel flushed, and looked apologetic as the security guard motioned for her to step to one side.  
  
Alex looked at his watch, and at the large screen that noted arrivals and departures. They had five minutes to make their flight. He scanned the crowed, and waited while a female security guard used a hand held metal detector to scan Isabel's body. Again, and again, the alarm sounded, but each time it did, the wand passed over a different part of Isabel's body.  
  
"Maybe there's something wrong with it?" Isabel offered hopefully.  
  
"That's doubtful, ma'am," said the guard. "The equipment is checked and calibrated daily."  
  
"Why is this happening, then?" she asked. "Do I look like the terrorist type to you?"  
  
"We can't be too careful," said the guard.  
  
"No, you can't be too careful," whispered Isabel. She looked around, and spied the Armani suit guy watching her intently. She surreptitiously pressed her hand against her shirt and pants and metal studs popped up in various places on her clothes. "Wait," she said. "Do you think it could be the studs on my clothes? It's a new look for me, and I forgot about them."  
  
"It's possible," said the guard. "Let me scan you again." She passed the wand over Isabel's body. Isabel shot a beam of energy at the wand, and it remained silent.  
  
"Look's like you're all set," said the guard. "Sorry for the inconvenience."  
  
"You can't be too safe in this day and age," replied Isabel. "I'm just sorry I didn't think about the clothes. You have a very nice day." She smiled politely at the security agent, gathered her belongings from the tray, and joined Alex. "He's here," she whispered. "Armani guy."  
  
"Where," said Alex, as he took her arm protectively.  
  
"Over there, by that planter," she said. She turned to point, but the man was gone. "Never mind," she said, her voice laced with disappointment. "He's gone. God, Alex, am I losing my mind?"  
  
"Come on, let's go board the plane. We'll talk about it more later, I don't want to take the chance of being overheard."  
  
They raced to the gate, and presented their tickets and boarded the plane with seconds to spare. The flight attendant directed them to their seats, and as the made their way down the aisle, they were shocked to see Michael and Maria sitting in two of the plane's seats. Isabel opened her mouth to greet them, but caught the imperceptible shake of Michael's head. Instead, she continued down the aisle, and took her seat, while Alex stowed their carry on bags in the overhead compartment.  
  
"What do you suppose is going on?" Isabel whispered to Alex after he had taken his seat.  
  
"I don't know," he answered. "I'm guessing that something happened to freak them out too, and they just took off, like we did."  
  
"I wonder why they didn't call us?" Isabel queried.  
  
"Probably for the same reason we didn't call them," answered Alex, reasonably. "The game plan had already been set. We knew where to go if there was a problem."  
  
"I'm being unreasonable, aren't I?" asked Isabel.  
  
"Well, yeah, but we can blame it on a by-product of being totally freaked out," said Alex. He looked up and saw that the flight crew had finished their pre-flight instructions to the passengers, and had buckled themselves in for takeoff. He reached over and took Isabel's hand in his, and brought it to his lips. "We're going to be okay, you know that, right?" he asked. Isabel nodded, and he continued. "After take off, we'll find some way to get a message to Michael and Maria. Will that make you feel better?"  
  
"Yeah, thank you Alex. You are far more understanding than I deserve," said Isabel. I'm going to write them a note, right now, telling them what's going on." She reached into her bag, and the ever-organized Isabel pulled out a small notebook and a pen.  
  
"How do you do that?" Alex asked in amazement. "Even after all these years, you still amaze me with your ability to find just what you want within seconds in your bag. Maria and Liz couldn't do that if their lives depended upon it."  
  
"Being a control freak and being so organized was always my way of coping, you know, before."  
  
"Before what?" asked Alex as the plane began to taxi down the runway.  
  
"Before you Liz and Maria became a part of our lives. I coped with our giant secret by being super organized. Max was Mr. Stoic, and Michael, well, Michael was Michael, explained Isabel. "Plus he had a hell of a lot more to cope with than Max and I did." She thought back to that horrific encounter in Michael's trailer with his foster father, Hank. "We all had our little idiosyncrasies; our coping mechanisms. Then we found you, and we didn't need them anymore. However, I like being ultra organized, so I've kept that one," she laughed.  
  
The seatbelt sign went off, and the flight attendants came around, taking orders for beverages. Alex ordered soda's for them both, while Isabel hastily scribbled the events that occurred that led to them being on the flight to New Mexico.  
  
"How do we get it to them?" asked Isabel. "We're a little bit past the passing notes stage."  
  
"Give it to me," said Alex. He got up and walked to the bathroom, the folded piece of paper visible in his hand. He went into the restroom, and placed the note in a visible spot, and exited the cramped bathroom. He gave Michael a pointed look as he returned to his seat. Michael correctly interpreted the look, and went to the restroom himself.  
  
He returned to his seat, took the folded up piece of paper out of his pocket, and passed it to Maria so that she could read it along with him. When she finished, she looked at Michael. "What the hell is going on?" she asked. "Someone trashes your studio, and calls you Rath, and Isabel is seeing Max, but it isn't Max. God, Michael, I thought our worries were over when we got rid of Tess."  
  
"No, I'm afraid they're just beginning," said Michael. He reached into Maria's bag and pulled out a pen, and started to scribble a reply.  
  
"Hey, you're supposed to ask before you go into a woman's bag!" said Maria. "In fact, it's wise to never ever do that again. Especially when the woman in question can fry the hair right off of our head. Do I make myself clear?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, sorry," said Michael, clearly unrepentant, as he continued scribbling. "Look, take this to the john, and leave it in there. Alex or Isabel will pick it up."  
  
"You forgot to tell me to fetch," snapped Maria, but she took the note from his hand. "You know, if I didn't love you so much, I'd kill you. In fact, I may just do that anyhow."  
  
"Well, can you at least do it _after_ you deliver the freaking note, Maria?" snapped Michael.  
  
Maria didn't say anything, she glared at Michael and stood up, stepping hard on his foot as she passed by him.  
  
"Ouch! You did that on purpose," said Michael.  
  
Maria smiled and raised her eyebrow, and walked up the narrow aisle to he bathroom. She spent several minutes in there, fixing her hair, and make up. She left the note on the side of the sink, and opened the door. She choked back a scream when she saw Isabel standing right outside the door, waiting to go in.  
  
"Are you two okay?" she whispered as she stepped aside to give Isabel access to the restroom.  
  
"Yeah. How about you two? How are you doing?"  
  
"Surviving, but barely. He's driving me nuts," whispered Maria.  
  
"Hang in there, Maria. He needs you, and you know how he gets," said Isabel.  
  
"Yeah, I know. Listen, we'll hook up when we land, okay? I better get back before the general has a hemorrhage or something," said Maria. She reached out and gave Isabel's hand a quick squeeze and returned to her seat.  
  
"What the hell was that all about?" demanded Michael after she sat down. "Talk about drawing attention to yourself. Jesus, Maria, what were you thinking?"  
  
"I was thinking that I love you, Space Boy," said Maria. She leaned over and kissed him briefly on the cheek, then turned to look out the window to watch the clouds fly by.


	15. Chapter 15 Let's Take a Meeting

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Fifteen – **_Let's Take a Meeting_  
  
"Yeah, I need to rent a car, please," the blond man said to the clerk at the rental agency in the airport. "I'll need it for about a week."  
  
"I'll need to see a drivers license, credit card, and proof of insurance sir," said the clerk. "Unless you wish to pay for our insurance."  
  
"I'll pay for the insurance," said the man. "And here is my license, and my credit card." He passed two small plastic cards across to the clerk, and waited while he typed the necessary information into the computer.  
  
"Very well, Mr. Milton," said the clerk. "Thank you very much. Here is your card, and your license, and the keys. Your car is a red Dodge Intrepid, and it's located in the lot directly outside this door, in slot number 17."  
  
"Thank you very much," said the man. He slid his license and credit card back into his wallet, pocketed the keys and picked up his bag. "You have a great day," he told the clerk.  
  
"You too, Mr. Milton, enjoy your stay in New Mexico," responded the clerk.  
  
"I will," said Mr. Milton. He turned and walked across the airport lobby. The sliding doors opened, and he was hit by a hot blast of desert air. "Damn," he said. "I forgot how hot it was here." He located the car, put his suitcase in the trunk, climbed in, and turned the air conditioner on full blast. He put the car in gear, and eased out of the parking space, and drove to the Delta terminal. He pulled up to the passenger pick up/drop off area and waited. Within seconds, the passenger door opened, and a red headed man climbed in beside him, clutching an overnight case in his hand  
  
"Man, it's hot," he complained, as he buckled his seatbelt.  
  
"I hear you," said Mr. Milton. He pulled out of the loading area and drove around the airport to the Southwest Airlines terminal, and repeated the procedure. A petite woman with short curly brown hair scrambled into the back seat, dragging her bag along behind her.  
  
"Thank God you have the air conditioner on," she gasped. "I thought I was going to die out there."  
  
"No problem," said the driver. "One more stop, and we're done." He eased the car out into the flow of airport traffic and pulled in at the US Airways terminal. The man in the passenger seat jumped out, and grabbed the suitcase that sat on the pavement next to a stunning woman with long black hair. He through the bag into the trunk, and the woman climbed into the back.  
  
"Damn, there isn't enough moisturizer in the world to make up for the damage that air can do to my skin," she said as she rummaged through her overnight bag.  
  
"Here, maybe this will help," said the petite brunette. She passed a bottle of moisturizer to the other woman and smiled. "Isabel, you look great with black hair. You should think about keeping it that way."  
  
"Your both beauty queens," said the driver. "Let's just get out of here, okay?" He put the car in drive and eased back into the flow of traffic.  
  
"Michael, will you chill with all the cloak and dagger stuff," said Maria from the back seat. "There is no way somebody managed to follow us all the way from New York, and to four different terminals in the airport.  
  
"Yeah, well, we can't be too cautious," said Michael, changing lanes. "Whoever this guy is, he seems to know a hell of a lot more about us than we do about him."  
  
"Yeah, but you're making me seasick back here, changing lanes so much," snapped Maria.  
  
Michael ignored her as he deftly changed lanes again, and then eased onto the highway. He merged into the stream of traffic, and relaxed marginally.  
  
"I don't think we were followed," he said, finally.  
  
"I don't think so either," said Alex. I've been watching ever since you picked me up, and I think we're good. All the same, as soon as you can, we should pull off the highway, and either change the color of this car, or rent another one."  
  
"That's not a bad idea," said Isabel from the back seat. "The convention center is about 4 exits down. There's bound to be a rental place near there."  
  
"And a restaurant," added Maria. "I haven't eaten anything of substance since last night."  
  
The got off at the exit for the convention center, and Michael drove around the city until he located a rental agency. He pulled over and Isabel climbed out and went in to rent another car. She came out quickly, keys in hand, and climbed into a blue Chevy Lumina. She followed Michael down the street to another car rental agency. The drove past it, and quickly transferred the luggage into the Chevy, and waited while Alex, carrying a license that identified him as Mr. Milton, returned the Intrepid.  
  
"This cloak and dagger stuff really sucks," said Maria later over a plate of spaghetti. "Mmm, this is good, but no where near as good as yours, Isabel."  
  
"Thanks, Maria," Isabel said, glad for the chance of normalcy. "I try to use fresh herbs."  
  
"You'll have to give me the recipe sometime," said Maria, dipping a piece of bread into some olive oil.  
  
"Excuse me, Betty Crocker, and Julia Child. We do have other things to discuss," said Michael. "Like who the hell is stalking us. I mean, obviously, he's," he paused and Maria spoke up.  
  
"Czechoslovakian," she said with a smile.  
  
"Yeah," Michael continued with a grimace. "Czechoslovakian. We need to get to the chamber, and get a hold of Che'koth and figure out what's going on."  
  
"Are we going to see anyone when we get to Roswell?" Isabel asked.  
  
"Anyone, meaning your parents?" asked Alex. "Do you think that's a good idea, Isabel? I mean, then we'll have to explain why we're there and everything."  
  
"No, I suppose not," agreed Isabel. "How long will it take us to get there?"  
  
"If we drive straight through the night, we'll probably get there right around noon time. We can swing by the Valenti's and change before we head out to the pod chamber," said Michael.  
  
The Valenti house was deserted when they pulled up in front. Alex killed the ignition, and climbed out and retrieved their bags from the trunk. Michael used his powers to unlock the door, and the four went inside. Alex flopped on the couch, and put his feet up on the coffee table, on top of an empty pizza box.  
  
"You know," he said. "It's nice to see that some things never change. Sheriff Valenti is not, and never will be a housekeeper.  
  
"Oh, that's disgusting!" screamed Maria, from the bedroom where she had gone to change. She walked into the living room, clad in jeans, and a green tank top holding a picture frame in her hand. She wordlessly turned the picture around to show it to Michael and Alex who burst out laughing. The picture, which she found in the Sheriff's room, was of her mother.  
  
After everyone had showered and changed, they prepared to leave. Isabel scribbled a quick note to the Sheriff, explaining the presence, and she propped it up on the kitchen table. Thinking again, she taped it to the television screen, knowing it would definitely be seen that way. She stepped out onto the porch where Alex was waiting, carefully locking the door behind her.  
  
"All set?" asked Alex.  
  
"As I'll ever be," she replied. She reached over, and slid her hand into Alex's, and they walked to the car where Michael and Maria sat, waiting. They drove out to the pod chamber, passing several cars driving towards Roswell.  
  
"Hey, wasn't that the sheriff?" asked Maria, pointing to a car that passed them in the opposite lane.  
  
"Yeah, but that wasn't his truck," said Alex. "In fact, it kind of looked like Max's car."  
  
"Whatever," said Michael. "It doesn't matter. If it was the sheriff, he'll get our note, let's not waste time worrying about it." He pulled off the road, and parked the car behind the giant sandstone outcropping that housed the pod chamber and the Granolith.  
  
Together, the four climbed up the path, and Michael activated the mechanism that opened the door. It slid open, and one by one, they stepped into the cool recesses of the pod chamber.  
  
"It sure took you long enough," said a voice. Michael spun around, his hand raised in a protective gesture. He peered into the darkened room, dropped his hand and smiled.  
  
"Maxwell," he said. "I see you got my message."


	16. Chapter 16 Mystery Man

**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Sixteen – **_Mystery Man_  
  
"Message received," said Max. "Nice painting by the way. So, did you guys manage to get away from Zan?"  
  
"What?" shouted Michael. "Zan's dead, remember?"  
  
"No he isn't," said Ava. "I mind warped Rath and Lonnie into thinking they'd killed him, but he got away. This is all my fault."  
  
"Ava, we've been over this a thousand times," said Liz. "It isn't your fault, and nobody blames you." She turned to look at Maria and the others. "Zan was supposed to come back and get her after he got away from Rath and Lonnie. When he never did, she figured he really was dead."  
  
"Okay, we know why we're here, and you know why we're here, but why are you here. Couldn't you have just phoned in that little bombshell."  
  
"It's going to get really complicated," said Max, "And this isn't the most comfortable place in the world. Why don't we go somewhere else and talk?"  
  
"Because all eight of us can't fit into a Chevy Lumina," said Maria, pertly. She activated the door , and they all stepped out into the dry desert sun. "I suppose we could go back in shifts," she said.  
  
The walked down the path and around the rocks to where the Lumina was parked, and next to it, was Max's car, with the Sheriff at the wheel.  
  
"I saw you drive past me on the road," he said to Michael. "I turned around and tried to catch up with you, but got stuck behind a slow moving truck. I figured this was not the place to hold your big summit meeting. Why don't we all head back to my place, and then you can figure out what's going on?"  
  
Max, Liz, Kyle, Ava and Jim drove back to the Valenti house, followed by Michael and the others. They all trooped into the house, and Jim ducked into his bedroom and quickly changed into his uniform.  
  
"I have to get to work, kids, but you're welcomed to stay here for as long as you like. We'll figure out the sleeping arrangements later."  
  
"Thanks Jim," said Max. "You've helped us so much already, and here we are again. We couldn't have gotten through any of this with out you."  
  
"Yeah, well," Jim said, ducking his head in an unexpected gesture of bashfulness. "I've been thinking, you guys had better lay low. Stick around here, and whatever you do, don't go into town. I'd hate to have to try and explain to your parents why you're here, and not where you're supposed to be."  
  
"And what about any lady friend's you might have, Sheriff?" Isabel asked, shooting a mischievous look at Maria.  
  
"Erm, don't worry about that," answered Jim. "I'll see you kids later on."  
  
After Jim left, the group discussed the whys and wherefores of what brought them back to Roswell.  
  
"So you're telling me that you saw all of this happening?" asked Michael asked Liz.  
  
"Yeah, but it was in a dream, it wasn't in real time, if you know what I mean. I couldn't like warn you or anything. Not that anything I saw made any sense at all. It was more like images," explained Liz. She curled up in the plaid recliner that sat in the corner and waited for the barrage of questions that she assumed would follow. When none came, she relaxed.  
  
"So it's safe to assume that it was Zan following us in New York," said Isabel. "But what about California. There isn't any way it could have been him. Even if we could teleport, or whatever, there is no way he could turn himself into a girl, and you guys think it was a woman that killed your friend."  
  
"Fred said her name was Glenarra," said Max. "And he was positive that she was a woman. In fact, he really had a thing for her."  
  
"So, it's safe to assume that we have two separate enemies," said Michael.  
  
"Zan isn't our enemy!" cried Ava. "He wouldn't do anything to hurt me!"  
  
"He left you with Rath and Lonnie," said Michael, coldly. "And besides, it wasn't you he was stalking, it was me, and Isabel.  
  
"He must have had a good reason for that," said Ava. "He wouldn't,"  
  
"Well, he did," said Michael. "Now if you don't mind, I don't want to hear chapter and verse on what a wonderful guy Zan is. He destroyed some of my stuff, and he stalked my best friends, as well as my wife. The man is **not** high on my list of favorite people."  
  
"Listen, you don't know what it was like!" shouted Ava. "You weren't there. You were here. You think you had it so bad, living with your foster father, well let me tell you Michael, compared to the way I had to live, your life was a freaking party!"  
  
Ava stood up and ran out the door, slamming it behind her. The room filled with an awkward silence, before Max finally spoke up.  
  
"Maybe you were a bit hard on her, Michael. I saw some of her life with Rath and Lonnie. They were brutal to her. I don't know how she survived it. I know I couldn't have."  
  
"Yeah, well, if it was so horrible, why didn't he save her?" Michael shouted. "If Zan was so fucking incredible, why did he leave my sister there with those two monsters?" Michael took the glass that he held in his hand, and threw it across the room. The glass hit the wall, and shattered into pieces, and cherry cola cascaded down the living room wall. He grabbed his jacket, and walked out the front door, slamming it so hard, two pictures of Kyle in his football uniform fell off the living room wall.  
  
"This is going so well," said Kyle. "It's good to see that some things never change."  
  
"Shut up Kyle," said Max, but the smile on his face took the sting out of his words. Michael feels bad enough about Ava being stuck with that pack of losers. He hates knowing that he wasn't there to protect her while they were growing up."  
  
"No shit, your majesty," said Kyle, his tone sarcastic. "You don't think I know that. That's the only reason I didn't kill him for talking to my wife that way. Ava kind of feels the same way about him. She knows he didn't live in Leave it to Beaver land, and she feels bad that she wasn't there for him."  
  
"Maria, you've remained uncharacteristically calm during all of this," said Alex. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Actually, I am. A very smart person helped me to remember how Michael acts when he's stressed out." She smiled at Isabel, who simply raised one eyebrow. "Besides, that was nothing. Want to see him really freak, tell him you hate my singing." She sat back against the faded sofa, secure in the knowledge that her husband loved her, deeply.  
  
"Well, as exciting as this has all been," said Alex. "Shouldn't we be doing something more productive, like figure out what crazed alien is running around killing people?"  
  
"Hey," Michael said as he walked across the yard towards Ava.  
  
"Hey yourself," Ava said, looking at the ground. She scuffed the dirt with the toe of her shoe, and small puffs of dust rose up and dissipated in the soft breeze.  
  
"Look, I was a real jerk in there," said Michael.  
  
"Yeah, you were," Ava agreed. "You didn't know him, Michael. He wasn't noble like Max, but he wasn't evil like Rath. If he didn't come back, there was a reason."  
  
"Yeah, but," began Michael  
  
"No," Ava said, firmly. "You're wrong. Zan was my friend, Michael, he was, and there isn't anything you can say that will convince me otherwise."  
  
"Fine," said Michael, his voice tinged with a bit of resentment. "I just don't like knowing you had to live with _them,_ and you didn't have any protection."  
  
"But I did, Michael, I did. Zan looked out for me as best he could, right up until the end. We took off for Roswell shortly after Lonnie and Rath tried to kill him. Now can we just forget about this, please? Michael, I don't want to fight with you anymore, so let's just drop it."  
  
Michael agreed, and he and Ava walked back to the house, together. Before they went inside, Michael held out his hand to stop Ava.  
"If you and Maria ever ganged up on me, I'd be in a world of hurt, wouldn't I?"  
  
"You know it," Ava replied as she pushed open the door.  
  
Jim Valenti drove down the streets of Roswell, his eyes scanning the streets for any potential trouble situations. As he drove, his mind wandered to the group of kids that sat, even now, in his living room, fighting for their lives once again.  
  
"Aw, hell!" he said, slamming his hand against the steering wheel. "What the hell is going on? I told them **not** to come to town." Jim pulled the truck over into a nearby parking space, and climbed out. He jogged quickly across the sidewalk, hoping to reach his prey before anyone else noticed him.  
  
"Going somewhere, Mr. Evans?" he said, grabbing Max by the arm. "I could have sworn I told you not to come into Roswell."  
  
"Yeah, well, you know how it is. I got a little crazy. I needed to stretch my legs."  
  
"You know Max, I expect this kind of stunt from Michael, but not from you. Now, come on, get in the truck. I'm taking you back to the house before anybody notices you."  
  
Jim practically dragged Max to the truck, opened the door, and waited for him to climb in. When Max was seated, he climbed in the drivers' side, started the truck, and eased back out onto the road.  
  
"Keep your head down," cautioned Jim. "I hope to hell nobody saw you. I can explain Kyle and Ava being back in town, but you, no way."  
  
"Ava?" asked Max.  
  
"Yes, Ava," said Jim, shooting Max a confused look. "You remember, you and Liz went to Colorado after she and Kyle had that accident. You healed her, and we all came back together. Max, are you alright?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm uh, just a little tired, that's all. The past few days are catching up with me, I guess."  
  
"Well, just relax, I have you home, and back with the others in just a few minutes," said Jim. They rode in silence for a several miles, until Jim pulled into his driveway. "Here you go, Max. I'm just going to let you out here. I need to get back to work. I'll see all of you tonight. I'll bring back some takeout from Senor Chow's."  
  
"Yeah, great, see you later," said Max. He turned and walked up the driveway. He climbed the steps, and knocked on the door, a feral smile on his face.


	17. Chapter 17 Seeing Double

**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Seventeen** – _Seeing Double_  
  
Ava heard the knock at the door, and ran to open it while the others tried to make sense of everything that had happened. She threw open the door with a smile, assuming that it was Jim, and screamed.  
  
"Zan!" She started to reach out to him, but was held back by both Michael and Kyle who ran to her side when they heard her scream.  
  
"Michael, Kyle, let me go!" she shouted. It's Zan."  
  
"So, you're siding with Rath now, Ava?" said the Max doppelganger in the doorway.  
  
"He's not Rath, Zan. Rath is dead, but so will he if he doesn't let me go," Ava said, with a slight edge to her voice.  
  
"Ava, this bastard stalked Isabel and I in New York. There is no way in hell I'm letting you near him," said Michael."  
  
"I never thought you'd turn on me Ava," said Zan.  
  
"Zan, listen to me," pleaded Ava. "I didn't turn on you. These people are our friends. You have to believe me."  
  
"Why, why should I believe you? I went back for you, and you were gone," said Zan."  
  
"Let him in Michael," said Max, from the living room. "If Ava says he's all right, we need to trust her judgment."  
  
Michael and Kyle relaxed their grip on Ava's arms, and she pulled away and threw her arms around Zan. She took him by the hand, and pulled him into the living room. "Zan, you need to meet everybody," she said. "And you need to tell me what happened to you. I tried to wait for you, but Lonnie and Rath insisted on coming here, and trying to find Max. They said if I didn't go with them, they'd kill me, and I knew they'd do it."  
  
"Holy shit," said Zan. "It's really true, there are two of us." He looked at Max, an expression of awe on his face. "You're really not Rath and Lonnie?" he continued, turning towards Michael, and Isabel.  
  
"No, I'm Isabel Whitman," said Isabel. "And this is my husband Alex." Alex just nodded, trying to deal with the figure in front of him. "And this is Michael Guerin, and his wife, Maria," continued Isabel, pointing to where Michael sat on the sofa, his arm protectively around Maria."  
  
"I think you'd better sit down," said Max. "You look about as freaked as I feel."  
  
"It's weird," said Zan. "More than weird, actually."  
  
"Um, how come you're not all into the punk stuff like Rath and Lonnie were?" Max asked, taking in Zan's jeans, sneakers and polo shirt.  
  
"I was," said Zan. "But let's save that for later? I'm still trying to accept the fact that you guys are real."  
  
"What do you mean, we're real?" demanded Michael.  
  
"Our protector told us about you, but I never believed it. I thought it was just some stupid thing he told us."  
  
"So that's why, when you saw us in New York, you thought we were Rath and Lonnie," interjected Isabel.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sorry for that," said Zan. "I never would have freaked you like that if I had known."  
  
"Well, what finally made you figure it out, Einstein?" said Michael.  
  
Zan had the grace to flush at Michael's comment. "I went back to our old crib," he said. "Only this time, I tore it apart, and I found this. He reached into his backpack and pulled out a West Roswell High yearbook. "Part of me thought it was just something Rath and Lonnie came up with, but I just wasn't sure."  
  
"Well why that stunt at the airport?" asked Isabel. "That was you setting off the metal detectors, wasn't it?"  
  
"Yeah, it was," said Zan, looking sheepish. "I was trying to stop you from getting on the plane, so I could find out what the hell was going on. At that point, I still didn't quite realize you were like me, with powers, you know. But when you used your powers to stop the metal detectors, I knew. Look, this is hard for me, you know? I've hated Rath and Lonnie for the past three years. They tried to kill me. What did you want me to do, walk up to you and say hey, here I am, wanna take another shot at it?"  
  
"I suppose not," said Michael, albeit grudgingly.  
  
"So where have you been?" said Liz. "Why didn't you ever try to find Ava?"  
  
"Zan, this is Liz, Max's wife. She was my first real friend here in Roswell," said Ava. "And before you go on, I want you to meet Kyle, my husband." Ava proudly pulled Kyle by the hand to stand in front of Zan.  
  
"No shit, you're married!" exclaimed Zan. "That's pretty cool. How'd that happen?"  
  
"Another really long story," said Max. "We'd really rather hear about you. How did you get here, to Kyle's house?"  
  
"I was walking around Roswell, and some sheriff guy pulls over and starts yelling at me for being in town, and dragging me to his truck. He seemed to know me, so I just kept quiet. Then he started talking about Ava, and I figured he could take me to her," said Zan. "I screwed up a couple of times, and he kinda started to wonder about me, but I mind warped him, and made him forget."  
  
"You can mind warp now?" asked Ava.  
  
"Yeah, nothing like you, but I just kept working at it, and I can sort of do it a little bit," said Zan.  
  
"Ava, remember, Che'koth said we all have the same talents and abilities, it's just that some are more developed than others," said Liz. "Alex can mind warp too, and so can I, but just a little," she explained to Zan.  
  
"Wait, you're Antarian too?" he asked, clearly puzzled.  
  
"Another part of that really long story," said Maria. "We want to know about you."  
  
"Hey, you're the one that was singing in that club," said Zan. "I was there one night, listening to the band, and that's where I saw Rath. Well, I thought it was Rath," he amended. "Yeah, I knew you were out there," said Maria. "But I couldn't see you. But can we _please_ get back to the story. What happened to you after Rath and Lonnie tried to kill you?"  
  
"I got away, with Ava's help," said Zan. "Only problem was, I ran right into the middle of a gang fight. I got whacked on the head with a pipe or something. I woke up three days later in the hospital. By the time I got back to our crib, Ava was gone. I looked for months. I figured they killed her too. I didn't want to leave New York. It was the only home I'd ever known, so I decided to make a new life there. I lost most of the piercings, shaved, started dressing way more boring, and got a job. I paid attention to how people talked, and I tried to talk like them. I was just living life, until that day I saw Rath, Michael," he corrected himself, "In that club. After that, everything changed."  
  
Ava looked at the others, and read the unspoken messages that passed between them.  
  
"Zan, why don't you come for a walk, and I'll tell you about Rath and Lonnie," she said. She stood up and held out her hand to him. He reached out and took it, and the two walked outside, while Kyle looked on, jealously.  
  
"What do you think?" Max asked the room in general.  
  
"I believe him," said Isabel.  
  
"So do I," said Liz.  
  
"I don't," said Alex.  
  
"Let's kill the bastard," said Kyle, still looking out the window, watching Ava and Zan, talk.  
  
"Michael, what about you?" asked Max.  
  
"I don't know," he said. "I don't want to believe him. In fact, I'm with Kyle on this one, I want to kill him for what he did. But Ava trusts him, so I guess I have to, also. Maria, what about you?"  
  
"Well, other than scaring the shit out of us in New York, he didn't actually do anything. So I guess I'm saying give him the benefit of the doubt, for now. But I reserve the right to change my answer at a later date."  
  
"I'm with Michael," said Max. "I don't trust him either, but I do trust Ava, and if she says he's okay, than I guess we believe him. And we can be pretty sure he isn't behind what happened in California. So that means we're down to one mystery."  
  
"In which case, we need to get to the Granolith, and try and contact Che'koth," said Liz. "And even though I trust him," she paused.  
  
"You don't think we should tell him about the Granolith," finished Maria.  
  
"No, not yet," said Liz softly. "I guess it's kind of hedging our bets." She went and stood next to Kyle who was staring out the window at Zan and Ava. "I just hope Ava doesn't tell him either."


	18. Chapter 18 Stories to Tell

**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Eighteen** –  _Stories to Tell  
_  
"I never told them about you," said Ava to Zan. "At least not until the other day. Max had to heal me, and he got a flash of what happened that day. I had to tell them."  
  
"So what's the deal with all of you?" asked Zan. "Are they all Antarian too?"  
  
"No," said Ava. "It's really complicated, but there was another set of pods, and Max, Michael, Isabel and Tess were in them. Max, Michael and Isabel all came out together. A wonderful family adopted Max and Isabel, but Michael went into foster care. He had it really rough. Oh, and did you know he's my brother? Zan, I have a family too. I used to be so jealous of you and Lonnie. I wanted someone to be my family too, and now I have Michael, and Kyle."  
  
"Yeah, what's his deal?" asked Zan. "I'm getting the feeling he doesn't like me too much."  
  
"Probably not," said Ava. "But he will. Just give him time. He's a wonderful person, and he loves me so much, and I love him."  
  
"How'd you hook up with a guy like that, anyhow?" asked Zan. He leaned against a fence, and looked down at the blond girl. "I kind of always figured we'd end up together, you know?"  
  
"We didn't belong together Zan, not here on Earth. You know it as well as I do. You were my friend, my only friend, but nothing more."  
  
"Yeah, I know, blondie, I know. So tell me more. How'd you all hook up, and how'd you find out Rath, I mean, Michael was your brother. Man, this gets confusing. I guess Rath really was your brother too, then, huh?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess," said Ava, darkly. "Though I'm not to anxious to claim him, that's for sure. Rath, Lonnie and I came here, they were looking for Max, to try and get him to go to the summit. Him and Tess went back to New York with them, and I stayed here."  
  
"Tess? Who's Tess. I didn't meet her, did I?" asked Zan, confused.  
  
"Tess is the other me," said Ava. "Damn, this is getting complicated. Okay, first there are two destiny books, we had our copy, and they had their copy. But while each book makes sense by itself, if you read them together, it tells a completely different story. Alex figured it out."  
  
"Alex, he's the one with Lonnie, I mean Isabel. The one that can mind warp. How can he do that, anyhow. You still haven't explained that," said Zan.  
  
Ava paused, unsure of how much she should reveal. She thought for a minute more, then continued. "Liz was shot in the restaurant her parents own. Max healed her, at great risk to himself, and the others. As a result, Liz developed powers like ours. It seems our powers are centered in our brains. We use more of our brains than the average human. When Max healed Liz, it bumped up the development or something in her brain, and she got powers."  
  
"And Max, he healed the others, too?" asked Zan.  
  
"Yeah, Kyle got shot, too, and I forget what happened to Alex and Maria, but Max healed them," Ava lied. She was unwilling to tell Zan about the Granolith, and it's role in activating Alex and Maria's powers."  
  
"Where are Rath and Lonnie, and this Tess character, now?" asked Zan.  
  
"Rath and Lonnie are dead," said Ava. "Alex and Maria killed them when they found out Rath and Lonnie were going to kill Michael and Isabel, and take their place. They, along with Tess were going to kidnap Max, and try and get back to Antar."  
  
"No shit, there's a way to get home. How?" asked Zan, excitedly.  
  
"I don't know," said Ava, turning her head away from him to hide the fact that she was lying.  
  
"What about this Tess chick, what happened to her?"  
  
Ava climbed up onto the top bar of the fence, and hooked her feet over the lower rung. She looked off into the distance for a moment before she answered. "Tess is dead, she killed her, but in the fight, Liz lost the baby boy she was carrying." A tear trickled down Ava's face, and Zan reached over to wipe it away.  
  
"Man, that's harsh," he said. "She must have been broken up about it."  
  
"Yeah, well, lets just drop it," said Ava. "It's not my story to tell. Besides, I want to hear about you. You got a job? I can't see you in the nine to five world, Zan."  
  
"It's a nothing job. I was fixing cars in a Mercedes dealership. The pay was pretty good."  
  
"You fixed cars?" laughed Ava. "Zan, you don't even know how to drive a car."  
  
"I managed," said Zan. "And if you count stealing them, then yeah, I knew how to drive a car. But let's not talk about me. I want to know more about what's been going on with you. How'd you hook up with this Kyle guy, and is he treating you okay?"  
  
"Kyle's great Zan, and I'm really lucky to have him and the others in my life."  
  
"And a brother too. That's cool," added Zan. "So, what else did the books tell you?" He tried to hide his interest in the information.  
  
"Oh, Zan, I don't know," Ava said helplessly. "Do we have to go into all of that now? I mean, you're here, finally. Can't we just be happy about that?"  
  
"Man, there sure is a lot of nothing around here," said Zan, looking up at the vast expanse of blue sky. "I don't think I've ever seen so much nothing."  
  
"It is kind of weird," said Ava. "But it's nice too. There's a whole world out there Zan, and Kyle and I are going to explore it."  
  
"Yeah, and how are you planning on this little venture? Did you jaunt back to Antar and make a withdrawal out of the royal treasury?"  
  
Ava flushed and looked at the ground in embarrassment. "Actually," she said. "We made a little trip to Vegas one time, and well, we kind of made a bundle."  
  
Zan laughed, and threw an arm around Ava and gave her a quick hug. "That's my girl," he said. "I've been known to do the same thing a time or two in Atlantic City. Too bad, I like the idea of going back to Antar and helping ourselves to all that royal treasure."  
  
Ava laughed uneasily. She was disturbed at the way Zan kept redirecting the conversation to going back to Antar. It wasn't something he ever really cared about before. In fact, it was his lack of interest in going back to Antar, which lead to Rath and Lonnie wanting to kill him. "Oh look," she said gratefully. "Here come Liz and Max." She jumped down off the fence, and ran over to them, glad to escape Zan's prodding questions.  
  
"You okay," Liz whispered to Ava when the two couples met up. Ava surreptitiously shook her head, and shot Liz a look that clearly begged for help. "Ava, you have a phone call, it's Pam Troy. She heard you were back in town, and is dying to talk with you," Liz improvised.  
  
"Hun? Oh," said Ava, when she realized what Liz was doing. "Pam. I've been dying to talk to her. Zan, I have to take this call. I'll be out in a few minutes, okay?"  
  
She didn't wait for an answer, and walked towards the house, Liz trailing after her. Liz raced along, struggling to keep up with the fast pace the other girl had set.  
  
"Ava, slow up, will you?" said Liz. "It's not like she's really on the phone. The day Pam Troy would talk to one of us is the day Michael and Maria don't fight about something."  
  
"Liz, lets just go inside. I need to talk to you," said Ava, clearly distraught.  
  
"Is it about Zan?" Liz asked. "Never mind, that's stupid question. Of course it's about Zan. Come on, we can go talk in Kyle's room."  
  
The two girls entered the house, and went straight to Kyle's room, ignoring their friends who sat in the living room.  
  
"Okay, spill, what's up?" asked Liz, sitting on the bed next to Ava. She looked around the room, while Ava formed her response. Her gaze paused when it came to the bulletin board Kyle kept in his room. It was decorated with pictures of their small group of friends, after they had discovered Tess' duplicity. Every picture of her showed a girl with a smile that never quite reached her eyes.  
  
"Liz, did you hear me?" Ava asked. "I just said that I'm not really sure if that's Zan."


	19. Chapter 19 Tests and Measures

**A.N.** Title comes from a class I took way back in my undergrad days. Dr. Reagan, you rock!  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Nineteen** – _Tests and Measures_  
  
"Wh-what do you mean, you're not sure he's Zan," said Liz.  
  
"He looks like Zan, he acts like Zan, but he doesn't talk like Zan, and some of the things he's saying, they're just not very Zan like," said Ava, worriedly.  
  
"You don't sound like you did when you first came here," said Liz, trying to remain calm.  
  
"Yeah, but I made a concentrated effort to _not_ talk like that," said Ava. She picked up a pillow off the bed, and clasped it to her stomach. "Liz, I'm afraid."  
  
"Maybe he made an effort not to sound like Rath and Lonnie either," said Liz, reasonably. "I mean if he had a job and everything, maybe he had to sound better educated. You did what you had to do to fit in here, maybe he did the same."  
  
"It's possible," Ava said, doubtfully. "But he kept asking about how Tess was planning on going back to Antar. He was like obsessed about it or something."  
  
Liz struggled to keep the fear out of her voice. "Did you tell him?" she asked.  
  
"No, I didn't tell him anything about the Granolith," said Ava. "I lied to him and said that Max healed all of you, and that was how you developed your powers."  
  
Liz let out a small sigh of relief. "Good," she said. "We didn't want to tell him too much. Not right away, anyhow," she added. "Zan never cared about getting back to Antar before?"  
  
"No, he was always saying this was our home now. If they had wanted us on Antar, they would have found a way to keep us safe. He also never believed you guys existed. I mean, he played along when our protector told us about you, but when it was just him and me, he'd always go on about how you weren't real. That you were just some story the protector concocted to keep us in line."  
  
"Well, he was telling the truth about that, anyhow," said Liz, recalling the earlier conversation in the Valenti living room. "Have you noticed anything else? I mean, I know you only talked with him for like fifteen minutes, but was there anything else that made you question his identity?"  
  
"I'd really need to spend some more time with him to get a better idea," admitted Ava. "Maybe get him talking about stuff only he and I would know about. But I'm worried about Kyle. He's not going to like the idea of me spending too much time with Zan."  
  
"Tell me about it," said Liz, wryly. "He saw Zan touch your face, and put his arm around you, and it took Michael and Alex to hold him back. If he could have raised his hand up, he would have killed him."  
  
"Gee, I'm so feeling the testosterone," said Ava. "It's so sweet that he's jealous."  
  
"Well maybe you could go talk to the jealous Buddha, and let him know that he doesn't have anything to worry about," suggested Liz. "And we have to figure out a way to have a planning session without letting Zan know what's going on, at least until we're certain he is who he says he is."  
  
"Liz, I love him so much," said Ava. "Part of me can't even believe he'd waste time being jealous. I've never loved anybody but him, and I can't see myself ever loving anybody else."  
  
"Yeah, I'm familiar with that feeling," said Liz. "I've never really loved anybody but Max, and I know, that for me, there will never be anybody but him."  
  
"I'm going to go talk to Kyle, now," said Ava. "Maybe you could fill the others in on Zan, while Max is still outside with him?"  
  
"Sounds like a plan," said Liz. "And Ava? I hope he is your Zan. I know you really cared about him a lot."  
  
"Thanks," Ava said gratefully. She watched while Liz slid off the bed and walked to the door.  
  
"Why don't I send Kyle in here to you," she said. "That way you'll have some privacy."  
  
Liz crossed the threshold and walked into the small living room. "Kyle, Ava needs to talk to you," she said. She looked at Michael, Maria, Isabel and Alex, who all watched her expectantly. "Yes, Houston, we do have a problem."  
  
"Freaky, isn't it," said Zan, staring at Max.  
  
"Yeah," agreed Max. "It was weird seeing Rath and Lonnie and Ava standing next to Michael, Isabel and Tess, but let me tell you, that was no way as weird as this."  
  
"I never thought you were real," said Zan. "I thought you were some fairy tale our protector made up to keep us in line. You know, something to threaten us with."  
  
"And I never knew you existed," said Max. "And then I thought you were dead."  
  
"Well, here I am, brother," said Zan, spreading his arms out.  
  
"Which leads us to the question of why?" asked Max. "You said you didn't believe we were real, why come find us?"  
  
"I told you, I that Michael and Isabel were Rath and Lonnie. When I tried tracking them down at our crib, I found that yearbook, and here I am."  
  
"You'll have to excuse me if I say that seems a bit to simplistic," said Max. "You tormented my family, and now you want us to welcome you with open arms. Sorry, it isn't going to happen that way.'  
  
"You're suspicious of me," said Zan. "I don't blame you. I would be too if the situation was reversed."  
  
"This is getting us no where," said Max. "Jim's going to be back with dinner soon, why don't we head inside and see what the others are up to?"  
  
"This, as you call it, isn't going to end until you either believe I'm telling the truth, or you kill me," said Zan.  
  
"That can be arranged," said Max.  
  
"Pass the fried rice," said Kyle, to the room in general. "I'll tell you, Ava and I have been to a lot of places these past few months, but we never found any place that had Chinese food like this." He heaped his plate with fried rice, and then poured soy sauce all over it.  
  
"Geez, Valenti, that is totally disgusting," said Michael. "Even for me."  
  
"Yeah, well, at least I won't have to share," retorted Kyle. "I have so missed this," he added, shoveling a fork full of rice into his mouth.  
  
Liz brought the conversation around to the different Chinese restaurants they'd all discovered since they left Roswell, and they all agreed that they hadn't tasted anything better than what was on the coffee table in front of them.  
  
"I don't know," said Ava. "Zan, do you remember that one place we used to go to? The Emperor's Dragon, or something."  
  
"Oh yeah," said Zan, without hesitation. "We'd call in this huge order, and then Ava would go in and warp the hell out of whoever was working the counter, and poof, great meal, no cost."  
  
"We, uh, didn't have a lot of money in those days," said Ava, her face red embarrassment. Not only had Zan remembered the restaurant, he had recalled a less than savory piece of her own history.  
  
"What else did you guys used to do?" Maria asked Zan, trying to deflect the attention away from Ava. "We never really got a chance to have like a normal conversation with Rath and Lonnie, what with having to kill them and all. And poor Ava never gets to play when we play let's remember. We've all known each other since elementary school, you know?"  
  
"Let's remember?" asked Zan.  
  
"Yeah, you know someone says, do you remember blah blah blah, and then someone else remembers something else. Okay, it's a stupid game," said Maria, her voice trailing off.  
  
"No, I get ya," said Zan. "I guess if you had a great life, it would be fun to play, but living the way we did, well, it was kind of rough."  
  
"Not all the time, Zan," said Ava. "Remember that one time we stole some skates and went skating at Rockefeller Center? That was fun."  
  
"Even the part where Rath used his powers to send you flying into the wall?" asked Zan.  
  
"Well, that part was less than fun," admitted Ava. "But after they left, it wasn't too bad. Especially that little kid. Do you remember Zan?"  
  
"The one with the broken leg, yeah, sure I do," said Zan. "This little girl, she couldn't have been more than like four or five. She got separated from her parents, and fell. Then some big buffoon fell right on top of her. She ended up breaking her leg. But Ava was so cool, she got right in that jerk's face, and red him the riot act, and took all the attention off the little girl so I could heal her leg."  
  
"That's right," said Ava with a laugh. "Then Zan put her up on his shoulders, and we skated around calling out her parent's name until we found them. They were hysterical."  
  
"Not after we gave them back their kid," said Zan. "They even bought us hot chocolate and roasted chestnuts to thank us. How freaking Mayberry was that?"  
  
"What?" said Max, suddenly. He flashed back in his mind to an encounter with Lonnie, Ava and Rath, and how Rath said everything in Roswell was Mayberry. "What did you just say?"  
  
"Abut the hot chocolate? I said it was Mayberry, why?"  
  
"Why would you say that?" demanded Max. "That particular phrase I mean."  
  
"I don't know," said Zan, clearly puzzled. "It was something Zan used to say. He used to talk all the time about finding you. He used to say you were probably living in some back woods Mayberry kind of town. It got to be kind of a code for us, I guess."  
  
"That's right," said Liz. "Remember, Ava used to say it all the time when she first started hanging out with us. Especially when she got he first glimpse of Isabel, the Christmas Nazi."  
  
"There's no need to go into that," said Isabel, dumping some Hon Sue Gai on Liz's plate. "Eat something Liz, you look hungry."  
  
Everyone laughed as the front door opened, and Jim Valenti walked inside. "I hope you saved me some," he said. "And if you didn't, I'll hold the sodas hostage." He hefted the bag full of soda in his hands. "I can't believe I didn't think to pick some up while I was getting dinner. Of course, I also didn't think the three cases I bought the other day would go quite so quickly, either."  
  
"Sorry, Dad," said Kyle jumping up. "Come on into the kitchen. I'll get the glasses, and you can get the plate of food Ava left in the microwave for you.  
  
"Ava, I love you," said Jim with a smile. "If Kyle hadn't snapped you up already, I'd be pretty tempted.  
  
"What about your lady friend?" asked Isabel, shooting a mischievous look at both the Sheriff and Maria.  
  
"Shut up, Isabel," the said in unison, and Kyle and his father exited the room amid the sounds of laughter.  
  
"What did you find?" Kyle asked softly as he banged glasses around to cover the sounds of his conversation with his father.  
  
"Everything checks out," said Jim. "I even got a hold of someone at the place that he works, and they faxed me a picture of the employees, and he was in the photo, Son. I know you don't like it, but it looks like he is who he says he is."  
  
"That's what I'm afraid of," Kyle said glumly, watching his wife laugh at something Zan had said.


	20. Chapter 20 I Don't Think We're in Kansa...

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Twenty** – _I Don't Think We're in Kansas Anymore._  
  
Jim Valenti drove down the road at a breakneck speed, and turned into his driveway, a plume of dust exploding behind him. He slammed on the brakes, inches from the front porch, climbed out of the truck and ran inside.  
  
"Wake up!" he shouted. "Kyle, Liz, Max, Michael, Ava, get your asses out here right now. "Maria, Isabel, Alex, move it, now. We have a serious situation in town."  
  
One by one, the podsters staggered out of the two bedrooms, and the study, and Zan climbed up of off of the sofa.  
  
"What's going on, Sheriff?" Zan asked. Jim merely glared at him, still angry at Zan's deception, and waited for the others to enter the room.  
  
"What's up, Dad?" asked Kyle, standing in the doorway to his room, rubbing his hand through his hair. Ava ducked under his arm, and stood in front of husband. Jim looked around to make sure that everyone was awake enough to grasp his news.  
  
"There was a murder in town last night," he said. "I found the body myself. I'm sorry, guys, but the victim had a silver handprint on his chest."  
  
The room exploded in sound as everybody talked at once. The noise escalated until Maria let out a piercing whistle, bringing the room to a sudden silence.  
  
"It's good for cabs," she said when she realized everyone was staring at her.  
  
"Where did you find the body?" asked Michael.  
  
"Outside the CrashDown," said Jim, looking at Liz.  
  
"Is it, it's not?" she whispered.  
  
"No, Liz, sweetie, it wasn't one of your parents, but it was Jose. I'm sorry," said Jim. Liz whimpered, and Max wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest. He looked over her head at Michael. His expression was stoic, and he held Maria tightly.  
  
"When did it happen, Dad?" questioned Kyle. "Do they have any idea of a time of death, or is it too early?"  
  
"Actually, we do have a pretty good idea," said Jim. "Jose was scheduled to open today,"  
  
"So he would have arrived around 5:00 a.m.," said Liz, softly.  
  
"That's right," said Jim. "I called his wife, Consuela, and she confirmed that Jose left at his regular time. I did a drive by of the back alley at 4:45, and there wasn't anything there. I hit it again, at 5:30, and I saw the body."  
  
"What made you go back there, Jim?" Alex asked. "You don't normally do that, do you?"  
  
"I've been keeping a watch on the CrashDown, your parents house, and the Evans house ever since I got those packages you all shipped here. I had Hansen take over for me when I went out to Colorado."  
  
"I can't believe this," said Liz. "First Fred, now Jose. How many other people are going to die because of us?"  
  
"I suppose it's pointless to ask if anybody saw anything?" asked Isabel.  
  
"No, but something else happened last night that you should know about. Last night, there was someone in town with a picture of Max and Liz, asking if anybody had seen them recently."  
  
"That's it, we're out of here," said Max. "Everyone get dressed. We all have backpacks, right?" He looked around the room, and everyone nodded. "Okay, fifteen minutes, and we leave. Jim, can you cram us all into your SUV? I don't want to leave any cars behind."  
  
"Leave cars behind where?" Zan asked.  
  
"Oh shit," said Kyle. "What do we do with Mr. Armani over there?"  
  
"He's coming with us," said Max. "He's in danger too."  
  
"He's in danger!" shouted Kyle. "How do we know he didn't do it?"  
  
"This is bullshit!" shouted Zan. "I didn't do anything. I was asleep on that relic that passes as a couch."  
  
"Kyle, calm down," said Max. "I got up around 5:00 to get a glass of milk. Zan was there."  
  
"Don't do me any freaking favors," said Zan. "Screw you, screw the whole freaking lot of you. I'm leaving."  
  
"You can't, Zan," Ava said. "You heard Max, we're all in danger. It isn't safe for you to go off on your own."  
  
"I'm leaving, Ava, and if you're smart, you'll go with me. You don't belong with that jerk. You're too good for him."  
  
Kyle flew across the room, and threw himself at Zan, knocking him to the floor. He began to punch him, violently, breaking his nose and giving him a black eye before Michael, and the sheriff managed to pull him off.  
  
"Kyle, man, stop it!" shouted Michael. "We do not have time for this crap. Go get changed; Ava, go with him. You heard Max, we have fifteen minutes, and you just wasted three of them."  
  
Kyle left the room, rubbing his hand. Ava looked at Zan, standing next to Michael, blood dripping down his face, and walked into the bedroom after Kyle, and slammed the door.  
  
"Look, we don't have time for any of your shit," Michael said to Zan. "Now get your stuff together, because we're leaving, and you're coming with us."  
  
"What, you think you can make me?" demanded Zan.  
  
"Yeah," said Michael, menacingly, grabbing Zan by the shirt. "Because like it or not, you're not 'da man anymore. Being 'da man nearly got you killed. Get off your freaking attitude trip and stay alive." He released Zan, and followed Maria and Liz into the bedroom they had all shared. Max looked at Zan, and shook his head.  
  
"Zan, we're not them, we're not like Rath and Lonnie. We're a team, we work together, and we help each other. We do _not_ try and hurt each other. Kyle was out of line, but look at where he's coming from for just a minute. He was with Liz, and he lost her to an alien, to me. Now he's with Ava, and you show up. You and Ava have a history already, and he's afraid that history is going to repeat itself."  
  
"Yeah, well he son of a bitch ought to have more faith in Ava," said Zan.  
  
"He has more faith in her than you'll ever know," said Max. "He's been through a lot in the past week, and he just found out someone he knows has been murdered. He's not dealing well, so get over it. Now get ready, because we're leaving in a few minutes, and I'll drag you out of here myself if I have to."  
  
"Why are you doing this?" asked Zan. "Why worry about me?"  
  
"Because you're one of us now," said Max.  
  
Jim said his goodbyes to the group outside the pod chamber. He hugged each one of them and told them to be safe. He looked at Kyle and Ava, and he hugged them both again, unashamedly wiping a tear from his eye.  
  
"Don't worry, Dad," said Kyle. "We'll be back."  
  
"We will," said Ava, hugging Jim, tightly. "You're a great dad. I'm not ready to give that up.  
  
"Be careful," said Jim. "All of you be careful."  
  
Liz stepped away from the others and held a package out to Jim. "Tell our parents what happened," she said. "Tell them everything. They won't believe you, but please tell them. Give this to my parents please. It's my journal. Ask them to share it with Maria's mom, and Max's parents, and Alex's as well. They need to know. They _deserve_ to know." She hugged Jim, and stood back next to her husband.  
  
Jim smiled, and whispered "Godspeed," and climbed down the path to where he had left his vehicle. They waited until he was out of sight, and Max activated the door, and the stepped inside the cool interior of the pod chamber.  
  
"What is this place?" asked Zan before he saw the pods. "Oh, so that's what they look like. Our protector destroyed ours after we came out. So, why are we here, anyhow?"  
  
"Follow me," said Max. He led the way into the chamber, which housed the Granolith. As soon as they entered the chamber, it began to hum. It began to glow, from deep inside. At its base was a deep purple light, and as it climbed up the chamber, the color changed. At the pinnacle, a bright glowing silver light emerged. The eight podsters arranged themselves around the Granolith in a double foursquare pattern. Zan stood by, unsure of what he should do, until Max reached out and pulled him into his corner of the square. The light spilled out and filled the room, and Che'koth appeared.  
  
"Majesty," he said bowing low to Max. "And Majesty," he added someone confused at the appearance of Zan.  
  
"We'll explain later," said Max. "There isn't time now." He quickly explained everything that had occurred in California, and the death of Jose in Roswell."  
  
"This is not good, your Majesty," said Che'koth.  
  
"No shit," said Max, "And don't call me that."  
  
"There has been talk on Antar, about a group of soldiers being sent to Earth by Kivar, to hunt you down."  
  
"How?" asked Max. "I thought they needed the Granolith to travel back and forth."  
  
"At one time, yes, but our technology has changed, and the Granolith is no longer necessary for that purpose."  
  
Max started to ask another question, when he heard a noise in the outer chamber. He spun around in time to see a woman with short blond hair come running into the Granolith chamber. She pointed her hand at Max, and shot a bolt of energy at him. Max through up a shield, and at the same time, Zan fired his own bolt of energy at the woman, causing her to fall to the ground.  
  
The silver light of the Granolith turned a fiery red, and shot out and enveloped them all. The room seemed to spin and shake, and suddenly, they all found themselves on the ground in a strange room. Max stood up, and helped Liz to her feet and looked around. Across the room, a door opened and Che'koth walked in.  
  
"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore," said Alex.


	21. Chapter 21 We Come in Peace

Well this is long and rambling, and not making a lot of sense to me. I had so many good ideas, and their all just jumbled up in here. Hopefully, it will all come together soon  
  
**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Twenty – One** – _We Come in Peace_  
  
"This is so not good," said Kyle. "Because if _that's_Che'koth, and we're not in the Granolith chamber, then it can only mean,"  
  
"Welcome home, Majesty," said Che'koth, bowing down before Max.  
  
"I'm not home, and don't call me that," Max said, angrily.  
  
"Please, Maj – Max, this is not the time to argue," said Che'koth. "It is dangerous for you to be seen here. We need to get you out of here. Follow me, if you please."  
  
"Wait a second," said Zan. "What just happened, where are we, and why are we trusting that guy?"  
  
"I'm not to clear on the what," said Michael. "But I think we're on Antar, and we'd trust Che'koth with our lives. In fact, we have before, and knowing our luck, we probably will again."  
  
"General, we need to bring the Aberjani with us," said Che'koth, pointing to the body lying on the floor.  
  
"Great," Michael said under his breath. "Kyle, help me, will you?"  
  
"He killed her," Kyle said, pointing at Zan. "Why can't he help?"  
  
"Damn it Kyle, this is not the time for joking, or fighting, or a show of testosterone!" shouted Liz. "Didn't you hear Che'koth, it isn't safe for us here.  
  
Kyle grumbled under his breath, but passed his backpack to Ava, and grabbed the legs of the dead alien. Che'koth opened a door, and stepped silently out into a dark hallway. He made certain they were unobserved, then motioned for the others to follow them. He led them down a labyrinth of corridors, and then down several flights of stairs. The seemed to walk for hours before Che'koth stopped before a small doorway. He pushed the door open, and motioned for the others to go inside.  
  
Max walked in first with Liz, close behind on his heels. He stopped in shock to examine his surroundings.  
  
"What the hell is this place?" he whispered to Liz. He and Liz moved to the side, to make room for everybody else. When they were all in the small room, Che'koth closed the door.  
  
"What is this place?" Maria asked, spinning in a slow circle to look around.  
  
"This is one of the many repositories for artifacts of the Royal Family," explained Che'koth.  
  
"No fooling," said Alex. "And that explains the pictures of Max, and Isabel, but why the hell am I up there?"  
  
"It is customary for the King, and his cabinet to have formal portraits hung in the palace. Even though there has never been an official declaration, it is obvious that all of you comprise the cabinet of the King," explained Che'koth. "Your images were retained by the Granolith, and they were used to create the portraits."  
  
"First, I'm nobody's king," said Max, "And second, are telling me we're in the Palace?"  
  
"And third," interjected Zan. "Why is he considered the King, and not me?"  
  
"Power hungry, much," whispered Kyle to Alex.  
  
"Forgive me," said Che'koth. "This is going to take a long time to explain, and a longer time to understand. We need to dispose of the Aberjani, and take you to a secure position." Che'koth pushed aside a large portrait of Max and Liz, and revealed a doorway behind it. He pushed it open, stepped inside, and beckoned for the others to follow him.  
  
"It won't be much longer," he said, softly. "Soon we will reach a safe haven, and I can begin to explain everything. Max nodded, and signaled Michael put down the body of the Aberjani. He hefted one end, and Alex stepped up and took the other end from Kyle. After what seemed like another several hours of walking, Che'koth led them into a large room, filled with cots.  
  
"It's not what you're used to," he apologized, "But it's the best we can do right now."  
  
Max and Alex dumped the body they were carrying unceremoniously on the floor, and moved to stand next to their wives.  
  
"Let's start with her," said Max. "You called her Aberjani. Who, or what the hell is that?"  
  
"The Aberjani are Kivar's trained assassins," said Che'koth. He has been training them to seek you out, and kill you."  
  
"Well, that's singularly not reassuring," said Kyle. "I'm assuming that she wasn't the only one?"  
  
"There are not many, but they are deadly," said Che'koth. "Please, everyone, sit, you must be tired. Food will be brought shortly."  
  
"Where are we?" asked Max.  
  
"You are the headquarters of the resistance movement," answered Che'koth. "When Kivar seized the Palace, we managed to wall off a portion of the Palace. We were able to remove many of the Royal Artifacts before he broke through our barriers. Among those was the Granolith. This enraged Kivar, he has spent much time, and money to develop a technology that would allow him to send his soldiers to hunt you down and destroy you."  
  
"That's really reassuring," said Max. "And you're just getting around to telling us this now?"  
  
"It didn't seem to matter until he developed the technology. It just happened recently. I've been monitoring the Granolith, but none of you came there," said Che'koth." "However, I knew that if you were ever in danger, it was to the Granolith that you would return."  
  
"That's so reassuring!" snapped Liz. "And in the mean time, two of our friends are dead because of her," she kicked the body of the Aberjani, contemptuously.  
  
"It pains me to hear of this, Your Majesty," said Che'koth. "You must know I would do anything to change what has happened. But that cannot be done."  
  
"Okay, we know what's been stalking us," said Michael. "Now what?"  
  
"Now, we fight," said Max. "We take back our lives, again."  
  
The mini summit ended for a short time when the food was brought in. Che'koth thanked the men and woman who brought in the trays and placed them on the table. Max took the first tentative bite, and sighed in ecstasy. "Oh, God, this is probably the best food I have ever tasted in my life," he moaned. "I'm sorry Liz, you're a great cook, but nothing, and I mean nothing has ever tasted like this."  
  
Liz gave him a mock scowl and lifted her spoon to her lips. She chewed tentatively for several minutes then quickly spit the food out into her napkin. "That is disgusting," she said. "I've never tasted anything so revolting in my life."  
  
Che'koth let out a hearty laugh, and signaled to one of the men. "Can you bring another tray, please?" he instructed. "The one had you prepare specially. I'm sorry," he said, still laughing softly. "Please forgive my small joke at your expense. This food," he pointed to the trays on the table, "Is traditional Antarian fare. It is highly seasoned and is both sweet and spicy. They are bringing some food that you will find more palatable."  
  
Isabel, Michael, Ava and Zan needed no further explanation. They reached for their spoons, and dug into the bowls of food, and ate heartily. Maria, Kyle and Alex tasted the Antarian food with trepidation, trying gamely to swallow it.  
  
"Oh, that is disgusting," said Maria.  
  
"It's not too bad," said Kyle, struggling to swallow the mouthful of food. "Alex, couldn't you mind warp us into thinking it's a Will Smith burger or something?"  
  
"Relax," said Che'koth. "Here is the other food. I believe you will find it far more suitable. It is as close to Earth food as we can make on Antar."  
  
Alex made a face, but gamely took the first bite. "Hey, his isn't too bad," he said. "It kind of tastes like squash."  
  
"Thank God," said Maria, digging in. "I can always stand to lose a pound or two, but I wasn't looking forward to total starvation."  
  
"Now that everybody has something they can eat," said Max with an engaging grin. I think we need to start planning our next move."  
  
"Our next move?" Isabel asked, incredulously. "Max, we've just teleported or something, God knows how many light years away to our home planet. And we've found out that evil aliens are out there trying to kill us. What do you want us to do, walk out there making with the Vulcan live long and prosper sign and say we come in peace?"  
  
"Calm down Isabel, that's exactly what I don't want us to do. I'm guessing the less obvious we are, the better. Plus, since none of us speak Antarian, we're kind of at a disadvantage right now."  
  
"Max, if I may make a suggestion," said Che'koth. "Before you do anything, it may be wise to first outfit you to look like Antarians. The language is not an issue; we have ways to work around that. However, your facial features will present a problem. Everyone on Antar knows what King Zan looks like. You will need to come up with some sort of disguise."  
  
"Not a problem," said Max.  
  
"Max, stop it!" shouted Liz.  
  
The room fell silent, and everybody stopped eating and stared at Liz.  
  
"Don't you see what's going on here? You're not making plans, you're reacting. We're here, God knows how many millions of light years from home, and you're ready to go out charging full steam ahead. Well, I'm saying no, not this time. We need to stop and take a step back, and look at the big picture before we start making any plans."  
  
Max looked chagrined, while the others looked at the floor, or the ceiling in an effort not to look at the fighting couple. Finally Michael broke the thick silence.  
  
"Liz is right, Maxwell. You're acting like me," said Michael. "We need to figure out what's going on, and who we're up against. Let's just take it one step at a time."  
  
"You're all forgetting one thing," said Zan. "I didn't sign on for any of this crap, and I don't care about what's happening on Antar. You people," he glared at Che'koth," "Sent us to Earth, and just left us there. You didn't give a rat's ass about us, what the hell makes you think I give a rat's ass about you?"  
  
"Zan," began Che'koth.  
  
"That's another thing!" shouted Zan. "If he's 'Your Majesty," why the hell aren't I? We're the same frigging person for Christ sake."  
  
"It's complicated," said Che'koth, "But to put it simply, the Granolith chose Max, not you."  
  
"That's bullshit," snapped Zan. "The freaking Granolith was here. It couldn't ever choose me."  
  
"If you were the one meant to be chosen, the Granolith never would have activated for Max. Zan, I know this all must be confusing for you," continued Che'koth. Perhaps while we are assessing the current situation, some time could also be taken to explain the workings of the Granolith, and the reasons you were sent to Earth.  
  
"Yeah, whatever," said Zan.  
  
"Look, this is getting us nowhere," said Ava. "We need to finish eating, and start figuring out what we're going to do next. Zan, you need to calm down. Like it or not, you're in this with us. You killed that Aberjani thing. If you didn't want to be a part of it, you would have let her kill us. I know you Zan, you're a hell of a lot more noble than you let on, but you're also a pain in the ass right now. Max may have the title of King, but he sure as hell doesn't want it, and that alone makes him a king in my book. And you don't see him lording it over anyone. He doesn't think he's any better than Michael, Kyle, Alex, or you for that matter. No sit down and shut up. And if you're not going to help us, keep your mouth shut!"


	22. Chapter 22 Settling Down and Settling I...

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Twenty – Two** – _Settling Down and Settling In_  
  
They ate silently, and moved to the cots to try and get some rest. Both Liz and Ava's outbursts shook everyone. It was rare to see either one of them react in such a manner. Usually they were the ones to react calmly to any given situation.  
  
Liz was unable to sleep. She sat up, and swung her legs over the side of the cot and stood up. She waited for a moment until her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, then made her way over to Che'koth. She tapped him lightly on the shoulder and he jumped up.  
  
"What is wrong. Are there intruders?" he whispered.  
  
"No," said Liz. "I need to speak with you."  
  
Che'koth stood, and led Liz across the room and though a small door into a private chamber. He pointed to one of the chairs, and waited until Liz took her seat before he sat down himself.  
"Yes, Majesty, what troubles you?" he asked.  
  
"A lot of things," said Liz. "Che'koth, we don't belong here. This isn't our battle. I never wanted to come to Antar. There was a reason why Max and I never went back to the Granolith you know."  
  
"Yes, I do know," answered Che'koth. "To go to the place where you lost your child would cause you too much pain. You have been in pain for a long time now, haven't you Liz?" asked Che'koth dropping the formal title.  
  
"No, not for a long time. It's only been recently that I've started to not hurt so much," she answered.  
  
"And when you entered the Granolith, did it hurt?"  
  
"No, I didn't really have time to think about it because everything happened so fast."  
  
"And what does that tell you?" asked Che'koth.  
  
"Maybe that I should face my pain, or that I should keep busy with something else instead of dwelling on it? But Che'koth, wouldn't that just be avoiding the issue and not dealing with it?"  
  
"I think, you've come to terms with what has happened Liz. Now it is time for you to move on. And while I understand that you don't wish to be here, perhaps this is what you need. Something to focus on. Something other than the pain that consumed you."  
  
"Are you telling me I've been wallowing?" asked Liz, the surprise apparent on he face. "I've gotten on with my life. I graduated high school, and left for college. I have _not_ been wallowing."  
  
"You misunderstand me Liz. Yes, you have done these things," said Che'koth. He sighed, stood up, and paced around the small room. "How can I make you understand? These things that you have done, did they present a challenge to you? Did you have to fight and struggle to achieve them, or did they come to you with ease."  
  
"I think I get it," said Liz, settling into her chair. "I've kind of been coasting along, with no real effort involved. But Che'koth, _this_? I know Max, he's not going to be happy just getting rid of those assassins. He won't be satisfied until Kivar is destroyed."  
  
"He speaks of this to you?" asked Che'koth in surprise.  
  
"No, it's because he doesn't speak of it, but he does dream of it. His sleep is punctuated by dreams of Kivar's reign on Antar. I don't know if he's remembering his life as Zan, or he's Max, but he frequently dreams, no, has nightmares about the tyranny of Kivar's rule, and that it's his fault."  
  
"I can see that Max will need a history lesson or two, along with Zan," said Che'koth. "He worries me, Liz. He is hot headed, much like King Zan was when he was younger. Max is far more even tempered."  
  
"He hasn't had a wonderful life, Che'koth," said Liz. "His sister and his best friend tried to kill him, and he thought the only person he could ever really trust decided to join them. I'm not excusing his behavior, but it does explain it."  
  
"Yes, but we're not here to discuss him, or even Max, we're here to discus you, young queen. Do you wish to be sent back?"  
  
Liz thought about returning home, and leaving her friends on Antar. Try as she might, she couldn't see herself alone on Earth, while her friends were here, fighting. "No, Che'koth, I can't do that, but you already knew that, didn't you." Che'koth smiled slightly, and Liz kept speaking. "But, I'd like you to make the same offer to everyone, including Zan. They all deserve to make this choice. And, if everybody chooses to stay, I want you to send somebody back to Roswell. They need to find Kyle's dad and tell him what's going on. He can tell our parents."  
  
"Agreed," said Che'koth. He was pleased with the decisions Liz had made. He could understand her sadness and loss. He had known such sadness and loss in his own life, and he knew the benefits of an all consuming task to help reduce the sadness. "Remind me, Liz to introduce you to a very dear friend of mine. She lost not one, but two children when they were quite young, and went through a period of incredible sadness much like you did."  
  
"Did she ever get over it?" Liz asked.  
  
"You never 'get over it,' Liz. But as time goes by, the pain does lessen, and you go on living. We can't live in the past, we must think of the Tomorrows yet to come," answered Che'koth. A soft knock on the door interrupted him. Che'koth jumped up and stood in front of Liz, his had raised protectively. He reached out with his other hand and opened the door cautiously.  
  
"Max, it's you," he said with relief. "Please, join us." He stepped aside to allow Max passage into the chamber. Max walked into the room and looked around. The walls were covered in a dark wood, and a carpet of dark red covered the floor. Liz sat on a chair covered in a dark blue material, her face a white mask.  
  
"Liz, what's wrong?" he asked, his face worried.  
  
"Nothing, I'm fine, it's just the way Che'koth stepped in front of me like that. I had forgotten for a second about assassins and all of that."  
  
"I got worried," said Max. I saw you leave, but you never came back. But since everything is okay I'll leave you two to finish whatever you were talking about."  
  
"No, Max, stay," Liz said, quickly jumping up. "Stay, please. I want to talk to you about something. I had an idea earlier. I was just about to tell Che'koth about it."  
  
"Sure, Liz, what's up?" Max asked. He sat on the arm of the chair his wife was ensconced in and smiled at her.  
  
"Well, first, I had just suggested to Che'koth that he send somebody back to let Jim know what's going on. He can tell our parents. They need to be aware of the dangers," said Liz.  
  
"That makes sense," said Max. "Did you want to go back? I mean, did you really want to be on Antar? We should check with the others too," Max continued. "Anyone that doesn't want to be here should get sent back. They don't need to stay and fight this war."  
  
"I said the same thing to Che'koth," said Liz.  
  
"It is always beneficial when our ruling heads are of like mind," said Che'koth.  
  
"I'm not your ruling head," said Max and Liz together. They both laughed, and Liz felt more of the sadness that had filled her soul drain away.  
  
"Okay, here's what I was thinking," she said. "We can't do anything until we become familiar with the culture and the language here. Basically, what we need is a crash course. You know like Antar 101 or something."  
  
"Intro to Antar 101?" said Che'koth, clearly puzzled. "Some times, Your Majesty, your Earth references allude me."  
  
"My name is Liz. Damn it Che'koth, I'm going to make Max bestow some totally stupid royal title on you and call you by it for the rest of your life." Max smiled, relieved to see his way so cheerful and playful, he was so focused on her smile and her laughter, that he missed the beginning of her explanation to Che'koth. "And so in our academic system, classes that introduce students to a subject are usually called Intro courses. Make sense?"  
  
"Yes, your Majesty," said Che'koth. "Please continue."  
  
"Certainly, your Royal Keeper of the garbage dump. Nah, I don't like that one. But don't worry, I'll find the perfect title for you. So, anyhow, I was thinking, we need a crash course in Antar, and we need a purpose, a reason for being here. Jobs or something."  
  
"Right," said Max, picking up the thread of the conversation. We can't just all of a sudden show up and hang around all the time, can we? We need to be doing something."  
  
"I believe I can help on both counts," said Che'koth. "All of you are of the age when young Antarians enter the Training Academy, and begin to study for their chosen paths. We can create false identities for you, and implant you in the Training Academy."  
  
"But what about the language and culture issues?" asked Liz. "There is no way we can fake all of that."  
  
"You may not have to," said Che'koth. "Our technology will allow us to implant the knowledge you need, if you are willing to undergo the procedure."  
  
"How dangerous is it?" asked Max. "I don't want Liz put in any jeopardy."  
  
"It's extremely safe," said Che'koth. "It utilizes a procedure similar to what you call mind warping."  
  
"We can tell the others in the morning and see what they think," said Max. "This has to be a strictly voluntary operation."  
  
"What sort of careers would we train in?" asked Liz.  
  
"Well, the Training Academy only accepts the elite students from the gretkla's," said Che'koth. "Gretkla's are similar to your high schools. Students entering the Training Academy may study medicines, science, diplomacy, technology, and of course there is the branch that trains our soldiers."  
  
"I'd love to study science," said Liz. "And I bet you anything, Alex would love the technology, if he stays that is."  
  
"I bet Michael and Kyle would want to go do the warrior thing," said Max. "And so would I for that matter."  
  
"That leaves Ava, Isabel, Maria, and Zan," said Liz. "What about them?"  
  
"We can't decide for anyone," said Max. "Now I have a suggestion of my own to make. Why don't we grab a few more hours sleep, and we can discuss this later with everyone." Max stood, and held out his hand to Liz. He helped her up, and walked to the door with her, hand in hand. Che'koth opened the door and stepped out into the hall to make certain it was secure. As the walked passed him, Liz smiled and whispered a soft thank you to him.


	23. Chapter 23 School's in Session

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Twenty – Three** – _School's in Session_  
  
"You mean we have to go back to school?" Kyle asked incredulously. "I thought I was finished with the halls of higher learning. At least for the time being. And besides, there is no way any of these credits are going to transfer back to Earth, are they?"  
  
"You are such a dork, Valenti," said Maria. "At least they have something you may be interested in studying. Learning to be a soldier boy can't be all that different from playing football."  
  
The others watched in mild amusement as Maria and Kyle bickered amicably back and forth. After Liz and Max had put forth their proposition, all of them, including Zan, were in favor of staying on Antar. Che'koth left to make arrangements to have someone transport down to Earth and make the Sheriff aware of their situation. He returned while Kyle tried, and failed, to explain to Maria that football was nothing at all like learning to be a soldier.  
  
"Have you all decided upon your course of study?" inquired Che'koth as he sat at what the group had begun to call their war table.  
  
"Science for me," said Liz.  
  
"Diplomacy," said Isabel and Zan at the same time. Kyle snorted his disbelief, and Zan glared at him. "What?" he asked. "Do you have a problem with that?"  
  
"No, actually, I was laughing at the thought of the Christmas Nazi learning how to be a diplomat," said Kyle. "Remind me to tell you all about Isabel and her obsession with the holidays sometime."  
  
"Thank you," Ava whispered to Kyle. She squeezed his hand under the table and smiled at him. "I have no idea of what to study," she admitted to the table. "Can I take a pass, and keep thinking?"  
  
"Me too," said Maria. "I'm kind of clueless. Shut up, Kyle," she added, looking at Kyle who had his mouth opened to make a sarcastic comment.  
  
"Well, I'm up for technology," said Alex. "You sure called that one, Parker."  
  
"Like it was so hard, Whitman," she teased back. "You are such a techno geek have now, and always will be. Why would I expect that to change just because you're in another solar system?"  
  
"Michael, what have you decided?" asked Max.  
  
"Warrior," said Michael. "All things considered, it's not like I really have a choice."  
  
"I'm torn," said Max. "I wouldn't mind the warrior training, but I really enjoy the thought of the diplomacy training."  
  
"If I may intervene," said Che'koth. "You can combine two courses of study. It's a new program that the Training Academy instituted this year."  
  
"Cool, sign me up," said Max and Zan, simultaneously. "Unless you don't think I should," continued Zan.  
  
"No, I think it's a good idea," said Max. "It stands to reason that we both have some of the same interests.  
  
"Great, that's settled," said Ava, but I still don't have a clue about what I want to study."  
  
"Me either," said Maria. "I only passed science because Liz is my best friend, and the only technology I've ever mastered is the cell phone. That leaves diplomacy, medicine or the soldier thing, and may I just say, no way!"  
  
"Again, I think I can help," offered Che'koth. "I made some inquiries at the Training Academy, and along with the dual course of study, they have offered a new course of study. It's affiliated with the medicine course, but it focuses on natural remedies. Many centuries ago, our healers worked in tandem with nature. They used their healing gifts when necessary, but felt that whenever possible, it was best to use the gifts that nature gave us whenever possible. Does this sound like something that may interest either of you?"  
  
"Yes!" shouted Maria. "I'm all for it. Ava, what about you? Come on, be my study buddy, will ya?"  
  
"It might be interesting," said Ava. "Okay, sure, I'll do it."  
  
They sat around the war table, discussing the various courses of study, and looking at the information that Che'koth had brought with him. It was in Antarian, and none of them could read any of it, except for Alex who had picked up the rudiments of the written language when he was decoding the destiny book.  
  
"If you are ready," said Che'koth. "We should begin the implant process. "You will need some time to assimilate all the knowledge you will gain."  
  
"This isn't like going to erase the stuff we already know, is it?" asked Maria. "Cause I need to tell you, I worked damn hard learning my multiplication tables when I was in second grade, and I just don't want to give that up."  
  
"No," said Che'koth. "You will simply be gaining new knowledge. The only difference is you will get a lifetime worth of information at one time. It will be a lot to process, and you may have a headache for a short time, but it will pass."  
  
"Where is it going to be done?" asked Max. "Can it be done here, or will we need to go elsewhere?"  
  
"It is but a short journey," said Che'koth. "We need to go to a room adjacent to the one in which you arrived. That area is our science and technology area. We will go there, and the procedure will be completed."  
  
"I'm going first," said Max. "If anything, and I mean anything goes wrong," he said, looking at all the others. "Do not have the process done. Is that clear?"  
  
"Excuse me, Mr. I'm not the King, but where the hell do you get off giving us orders?" demanded Isabel.  
  
"Don't think of it as an order, think of it as common sense, Isabel."  
  
Isabel glared at her brother, but didn't argue with him. They set off, with Che'koth in the lead, making their way back to the area in which they had arrived.  
  
Max leaned back on the metal table, and willed his body to relax. He didn't want to tell anybody, but he was scared. He was more scared then he had ever been in his life. In fact terrified was a more accurate description of the emotion he was feeling right about now.  
  
"Ready, Max?" Che'koth asked.  
  
Max lifted his head off of the table and looked at his Antarian friend. Che'koth stood in front of a small control panel, his hand poised over one of the buttons.  
  
"As I'll ever be, I guess," he replied. He gave an inaudible gulp, and laid his head back on the table and waited. The metal band that Che'koth had fit around his head began to vibrate. Images assaulted his mind, but it wasn't entirely unpleasant. His mind began to feel cluttered, the way Liz used to say her head felt after a marathon study session – before her powers kicked in that is. There was one last surge, and Max felt his body arch up off of the table, and slam back down. Che'koth came over and removed the band around his head and helped him to sit up.  
  
"Majesty, are you alright?" Che'koth asked in Antarian.  
  
"Don't call me that," Max answered, also in Antarian. "Holy shit!" he said in English. "It worked!" He jumped up off the table, and crashed immediately into a heap on the floor. Che'koth rushed over to him, and Michael and Liz pushed open the door from the viewing chamber where they sat, and ran to his side.  
  
"Maxwell, are you okay?" Michael asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine," said Max with a small groan. "It was kind of like a major head rush, that's all."  
  
"Did it work Max?" Liz asked, kneeling down next to him.  
  
"Yeah, it did," he answered her in Antarian. "Now, help me up, I need to go sit down somewhere quiet. There is a ton of stuff in my mind to go over."  
  
Michael helped Max back to their sleeping quarters, and returned to find that Liz had taken Max's place on the table. He slipped into the chamber next to Che'koth and whispered angrily to him. "Why did you let her go next? If anything happens to her, Max would fall apart. I should have gone next, just to make sure there weren't going to be any other problems."  
  
Che'koth laughed softly and looked at Michael. "How like Rath you are, my young friend. And those two," he nodded towards Liz on the table. "They keep claiming that they are not the King and his Queen, but two more honorable and loyal people I have yet to meet. Max insisted he go first to make sure it was safe, and Liz insisted that she be next. She said that if there was any danger to humans, then it should happen to her, and not her friends. And you, Michael, angry that you didn't get to go first to protect your friend and king. Blashnia, you are all the true and real rulers of Antar, if only you would open your eyes, and your heart and see it."  
  
One by one, they all underwent the procedure that implanted in their minds, everything they would need to survive on Antar. Ava was the last to undergo the procedure, and Che'koth carried her in his arms back to their sleeping quarters. He laid her gently on the bed and covered her with a light blanket, and then cast an eye over the rest of the podsters. None of them seemed to suffer any adverse effects from the implants. He looked over as first Max, and then Liz began to stir.  
  
The both sat up, and swung their legs over the edge of their cots. Liz rubbed her head and smiled wanly. "I feel like I have the worlds biggest hangover," she said, in Antarian. "But this is incredible, I'm speaking Antarian, and I know everything. It's a weird feeling."  
  
"I know," Max replied, also in Antarian. "It's weird, but really cool, too. Che'koth has told us about some of our history, but now, it's all right here, in my mind. The stories, the legends, everything; it's amazing."  
  
Liz leaned against the pillow on her cot, and allowed her mind to roam through the vast stores of knowledge she recently acquired. It wasn't like things she had learned on Earth. Those were facts, stored in her mind. What she could see in her mind now were the images and memories of the Antarians who lived before her. She could feel the anguish of those who fought against Kivar. If she looked further back, she could see the original settlers who came to Antar. She felt their fear as they raced to escape the natural disaster that destroyed their home. She saw their ships being launched into the sky, and the water covering their homes. She watched as the ships flew higher and higher into the sky. Suddenly, she found herself in one of the ships, watching as the world retreated; a world that looked strangely familiar. She searched through her mind to find the name for the land that they had fled from, and to translate it to English. Shock ripped through her body as she made the connection.  
  
"Max," she whispered, this time in English. "You came from Earth originally. Your people did anyhow. They came from Atlantis."


	24. Chapter 24 Building a History

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Twenty-Four** – _Building a History_  
  
One by one, the others woke up, amazed at the knowledge they had received, and at the clarity of the memories.  
  
"How does it work, Che'koth?" asked Liz. "I suppose I shouldn't ask, I mean, the answer is right in side of me. When an Antarian dies, his memories become a part of the collective consciousness of the people. People are able to draw upon these memories to glean knowledge," she recited. "Do I get a gold star now?"  
  
"So it's possible for me to tap into the memories of my former self?" asked Isabel. "I can access Vilondra's memories? I don't know that I want to do that."  
  
"You don't have to, your Highness," explained Che'koth. "The memories are there, but you do not have to reach out to them. I should also explain that the depth to which all of you are experiencing this is not typical for most Antarians. It is a right and privilege belonging only to the Royal Family so that they will always be aware of the history, and the emotions of their subjects. You would not for example know the particular thoughts of any one person who has died. You five, however," he said, looking at Isabel, Max, Zan, Michael and Ava will have complete access to the thoughts and memories of Vilondra, Zan, Ava and Rath, because, in essence, you are them."  
  
"Man, this is whacked," said Kyle. "So you're telling me, we can sense the feelings of the Antarians who died like a gajillion years ago?"  
  
"Exactly," said Che'koth. This will help you to assimilate quickly into our culture."  
  
"So great, we have these memories, and stuff," said Alex. "But, we still need our own personal history. I mean, we can't just all of a sudden appear. We need a cover, you now who we are, where we came from. All that stuff."  
  
"Alex is right," said Michael. "We can't just show up and say Hi, here I am. So what I propose is this. While we're sitting around, trying to cope with all this crap you've shoved in our brains, we try and come up with personal histories for each of us."  
  
"A strategic plan, General," said Che'koth, "But quite unnecessary. He reached into a small sack and pulled out a sheaf of papers. He shuffled through them, and pulled one out and handed it to Michael. He studied the paper for several minutes and smiled  
  
"Very cool," he said. "I'm Mesch. I was a not a stellar student at my gretkla, but I managed to get through, although I excelled at all things athletic, as well as the pre-strategic planning classes that I took. I also have a sister, who is younger than me, but due to her academic success at gretkla is attending the Training Academy with me. Oh, and look at this," said Michael, with mock surprise. "Her name is Atara, and she, along with my girlfriend Mira, are entering the new program at the Training Academy that focuses on the old ways of healing. How convenient."  
  
"I try my best," said Che'koth, with false modesty. He reached into the stack of papers and passed one to Isabel.  
  
"Oh good," she said, "My turn. Let's see, my name is Isadra, and I'm studying diplomacy. I live in Gadara. Oh, and my best friend from my days at the gretkla is named Kahtair, and he is enrolled in the warrior training course. Che'koth, you really should think about writing fiction for a living."  
  
"It pleases you Your Highness?" Che'koth asked with a smile. He enjoyed sharing this small bit of fun and lightheartedness with this young group. Liz, would you like to see yours?" He passed a dossier to Liz, as well as providing Maria, Ava and Kyle with their appropriate copies.  
  
Liz reached out and took the paper and studied it for several minutes and started to laugh. "Che'koth, you are too much," she said. "My name is Elandria, but people call me Lan for short. I'm entering the science program, and I will be traveling with my brother Aladrik. He took a year off before attending the Training Academy because he didn't want me coming here without him. What do you think, Alex, do you feel like being my big brother?"  
  
"Sure," said Alex. He reached out and took the paper that Che'koth proffered and skimmed it quickly. "Yeah, that won't be a problem, especially since I'm so gifted that the Training Academy was willing to hold my place for a year so that we could attend school together. See, I always told you guys I was gifted."  
  
The room filled with laughter. Che'koth waited until they settled down, and passed the last two papers to Zan and Max. "We can change this if you want, but it seemed ideal to handle it this way," he explained. Max read the paper quickly, and looked at Zan who nodded.  
  
"I am Ma'nith, and I, along with my twin brother Za'nith will be studying both warrior training, as well as diplomacy. Ma'nith and Za'nith?" Max said with a groan. "God, rhyming twin names. I swear, if I really was king, that's the first thing I'd outlaw."  
  
"I have to agree with Ma'nith," said Zan. "It would be the first royal proclamation I issued."  
  
Liz looked at the smile that emerged on Zan's face, and she drew a deep breath. She'd never seen him really smile before, and while he was always a duplicate of Max, it was never so noticeable as when they both smiled. It was if there was a light that was turned on inside of them, illuminating them both. She dragged her attention away from Max and Zan, and tried to focus on what Che'koth was now saying.  
  
"There is one final matter we should attend to," he said. "I, along with several key members of the resistance movement have created these identities for you. We have given you families, and backgrounds. With your permission, I would like to implant these backgrounds into you. This way, when you meet someone who knows of your 'family,' you will be able to answer questions of your elders."  
  
"How," asked Maria. It was the first time she had spoken since they had all awakened. Liz looked at her, and she could see how nervous her best friend really was. Liz reached out and took Maria's hand in hers, and held it tightly.  
  
"It's going to be okay, Maria," she said softly.  
  
"Look, I'm not trying to be a whining baby," said Maria. "But I'm really afraid of losing me, Maria DeLuca Guerin, you know? You've stuffed our heads with all this stuff, and now you want to give us all these memories that aren't ours. I'm afraid I'll get lost in the process."  
  
"That's it," Michael said, suddenly. "Maria's out of this. I'm not having her do anything that she's not comfortable with. Figure out some way of getting her home, now."  
  
"Thank you, Sir Galahad," said Maria. "But I'm quite capable of making my own decisions. I didn't say I wanted out, I said I had some concerns."  
  
"I promise, you will in no way lose your identity, or your sense of self," said Che'koth. "It will be more along the lines of reading a book that you become totally immersed in."  
  
"What?" said Maria.  
  
"I know!" said Liz, excitedly. "Not a book, how about a soap opera. You know how we both love The Rich and the Wealthy, right? Maria, who is Jeff on the show?"  
  
"Oh that's easy," said Maria with a smile. "Jeff is the illegitimate baby of Stella, and her ex-husband's, half brother Bill. Bill owned a small barber shop in town, but in reality, he's the long lost baby of Sydney Rothschild." Everyone laughed, and Maria looked around confused. "What?" she said. "I like the show. Oh, wait, I get it now. That's what it's going to be like, right."  
  
"I believe so," said Che'koth. "Although there is a possibility that you may not feel as connected to the memories we will give you as you do to the characters on this soap opera."  
  
The procedure was short, and nothing at all like the last one they had undergone. When it was complete, Che'koth quizzed them on events that would have taken place in their lives, and they all were able to answer the various questions.  
  
After that, Che'koth provided them with Antarian clothing. They changed quickly, and used their powers to modify their appearance. Max, Zan, Isabel, Michael and Ava had to be especially careful, and made dramatic changes. Liz, Kyle, Maria and Alex were able to simply change hair length and color.  
  
The street directly outside this door will lead you to the Training Academy," said Che'koth. "Here are your bags. The rest of your things will be sent along by your 'families' after you have been assigned living quarters. Good luck, and be careful. Remember to look for ways to infiltrate Kivar's forces. I'll be in contact with you." He slipped away down the passage and was out of sight before anybody could say anything.  
  
"Who wants to go first?" asked Liz.  
  
"Maria, Ava and I can," said Michael. "It would make sense that we're traveling together. Max, why don't you and Zan give us about five minutes then you come out. Then Kyle and Isabel and leave, and that will leave Alex and Liz to bring up the rear."  
  
Liz looked at Michael with admiration. He had effectively put Max and Isabel in the middle, while he acted as the front guard, and she and Alex would cover Max and Isabel from the rear. She could see why Rath had been King Zan's second in command. She didn't know if Michael was acting on his own, or had called upon the knowledge of his former General self, but his choice, and use of strategy was wise.  
  
She was also pleased to know that Kyle would be escorting Isabel through the town. They had no way of knowing if the changes to they had made to their appearance had been enough, or if people would be able to see through to the faces of the dead king and his sister. If there were a problem, Kyle would react quickly to protect Isabel.  
  
Michael, Ava and Maria stepped out unnoticed on to the walkway teeming with people, and made their way to the Training Academy. After several minutes, Max and Zan stepped out, and followed the path taken by Michael and the others.  
  
"You know why Michael did that, don't you?" Zan asked Max.  
  
"Did what?" asked a confused Max.  
  
"He went first, with us following him. Isabel is after us, and Alex and Liz are bringing up the rear. It's a nice royal sandwich. He's protecting us, get it. If there's any danger, he'll hit it first, and if anything happens from behind, he's counting in Liz and Alex to head it off."  
  
"Damn him," said Max. "I'm going back to make sure Liz is okay."  
  
"It's too late, _brother_," Zan said, pointing in front of them. "We're here."


	25. Chapter 25 Max Evans Reporting for Duty

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Twenty – Five** – _Max Evans Reporting for Duty. _  
  
"Today, before we go out to the agility course," the instructor said. "We will adjourn to the large hall, to listen to a very special speaker."  
  
The class stood, and began to file out of the classroom. Max hung back and maneuvered himself back to where Michael stood.  
  
"How's it going?" he asked.  
  
"Not to bad," answered Michael. "The living quarters suck in a big way. What do you suppose this guest speaker thing is about?"  
  
"I don't know. Have you seen Liz at all. I'm worried. I haven't seen her, or Alex since we got here," said Max.  
  
"I haven't seen anybody. I've barely even had a chance to talk to you, or Kyle. Hell at this point, I'd even settle for talking to Zan," Michael responded.  
  
"Him I've seen," said Max. "Because we're 'twins' we get to share living quarters. He took a seat in the large hall, and Michael sat next to him. They tried to continue their whispered conversation but the instructor stood up at the podium and began to speak.  
  
"Students, we are fortunate today to have with us, General Kobodi. I am sure you will find his speech to be very enlightening." There was a polite round of applause as the instructor took his seat, and an imposing figure dressed in gray took his place at the podium.  
  
"You are the best the Training Academy has to offer," he began. "You among all others are the most elite. Great things are expected from you. But a small percentage of you may go on to even greater things. Starting this week, all of you will begin training with the Antarian Guard. I, personally will also be conducting interviews to see if any of you meet the criteria for the Aberjani."   
  
The sounds of whispering filled the hall as the students discussed this information. From different parts of the room, Kyle and Zan turned to look at Michael and Max. With four of them, there was a good possibility that at least one of them would be selected for the Aberjani.  
  
"Quiet!" roared General Kobodi. "There is no need for discussion. The interviews will begin later today. The list will be posted outside of this room. That will be all." He stepped down from the podium, and the instructor jumped back up and took his place.  
  
"Before you are dismissed, I have one more announcement," said the instructor. "While you are here at the Training Academy, you will be exposed to various social situations which allows the students from the different areas of study to intermingle. We will be having one of these events this evening."  
  
A tremendous roar of applause filled the room, and Max looked at Michael and grinned. He'd finally get a chance to see Liz, and to make sure she was okay.  
  
They exited the hall, along with all the others, and made their way to the board where announcements were posted. Max scanned the list, looking for his name, and found it, near the top. Zan was directly after him, and Michael was in the middle. Max kept looking until he found Kyle's name; first on the list.  
  
Max stepped out of the way, and the crowd surged forward. The warriors in training were talking excitedly as they waited their turn to view the list. Apparently entrance to Kivar's assassination squad was a big deal. He signaled to Kyle, Michael and Zan, and the four retreated to a quiet corner to talk. Max gave them the times of their interview, and they started to discuss their strategy for their meetings.  
  
"I suppose just taking this Kobodi guy out isn't a great plan?" Kyle asked.  
  
"As enjoyable as it may be," said Max. "I'm going with no. Anybody have any ideas?"   
  
"Kobodi is an arrogant asshole," said Zan, suddenly. "But he likes to have his ego stroked. Play him that way, and you should be fine."  
  
"And you came up with this information from where?" asked Michael. "Cause unless you went to a different meeting then us, I'm thinking you don't know what the hell you are talking about."  
  
"I do know, and so do you, if you let yourself think about it," said Zan. "The memories, remember? Che'koth told us that as part of the royal family, we have access to memories of all those who came before us. Zan, the other Zan, knew Kobodi. He had several run ins with him before the war. If you search your mind, you'll find the information yourself."  
  
All of them were quiet, and all of them looked deep into their minds, and found the memories that Zan was talking about.  
  
"The son of a bitch turned his own father in for being loyal to the royal family," said Michael. "We can use that, or at least you two can," he added, looking at Max and Zan."  
  
"Yeah, if he signed his own father's death warrant, imagine how jazzed he'd be to see on twin willing to sacrifice the other," said Max. He turned to Zan. "If we both go in, and say as much, it may look good."  
  
"I may have another idea," said Zan. He started to explain his plan to Max, when he caught sight of Kyle's face. He was white, and looked like he was going to kill someone.  
  
"What's wrong with you?" he asked.  
  
"These memories, exactly how does it work again? You, Max, Michael, Isabel and Ava are the only ones who can gain compete access to the memories of the former royals, right?"  
  
"Yeah," said Zan. "That's what Che'koth said, anyhow. So?"  
  
"Cause Che'koth was wrong," said Kyle. "I'm seeing everything Ava saw before she died. She was raped, over and over again, then, when he was finished with her, Kobodi left her dead, naked body out in the courtyard of the palace for everybody to see," finished Kyle, his voice filled with anguish. "That bastard did that to my wife."  
  
"Kyle, no," said Michael. "That wasn't _you're_ Ava, any more that I was the Rath who failed to protect his king. You have to keep reminding yourself that it wasn't Ava."  
  
"Kahtair Ariey, please report to the training room," called a voice. "Kahtair Ariey, please report to the training room immediately."  
  
"Yeah, well, I guess it's my turn," Kyle said grimly. He pushed angrily past Max and Michael and walked across the hall. He paused outside the training room, to stare at the two Aberjani who guarded the door.  
  
"I'm Kahtair Ariey," he said. They stepped aside, and the door slide open to reveal General Kobodi waiting inside. Kyle clenched his fist, and stepped through the door, and it slid shut, effectively sealing him off from his friends.  
  
One by one, the young warriors were called in, but none emerged. Max managed to find out that they were escorted out another door, and kept segregated from their fellow students so that the interview process would remain secret.  
  
"Ma'nith Drania, please report to the training room. Ma'nith Drania, please report to the training room immediately," the voice called.  
  
"Ready," said Max, looking at Zan.  
  
"No, but let's do it," Zan replied. As one, the two men stood up, and walked across the hall. The Aberjani stood in front of the door and refused to step aside.  
  
"The interview is for Ma'nith Drania," said one of the Aberjani.  
  
"I am Ma'nith Drania," answered Max and Zan together.  
  
"General Kobodi does not have time for your foolish games, now Ma'nith Drania step forward!" demanded the Aberjani. Max and Zan both stepped forward, and the door behind the Aberjani slid open to reveal a very angry General Kobodi.  
  
"What is the meaning of this!" he roared. "Where is the next applicant?"  
  
"Right here," Max and Zan answered in unison. "I am Ma'nith Drania."  
  
"Very interesting," said the General. "Let them in," he instructed. The Aberjani stepped aside, and Max and Zan walked through the doorway together, each turning slightly so they could both pass through the door at the same time.  
  
"I take it one of you is Ma'nith Drania, and the other is Za'nith Drania?" inquired the General. "You should know that I am not amused at this behavior."  
  
"That is good, General," said Max. "Since our aim was not to amuse you."  
  
"No, we wanted to show you the benefits of having the two of us as members of the Aberjani," said Zan. "We often think as if we were one person."  
  
"Our mannerisms and speech patterns are the same," said Max.  
  
"Which could be very confusing for our enemies," continued Zan. "One could be used as a distraction."  
  
"While the other gather's information," concluded Max.  
  
"Your theory is an interesting one," said the General. "However, it would lead me to wonder where your loyalty would lie. With Lord Kivar, or with each other?"  
  
Max and Zan turned towards each other, and each aimed a carefully placed bolt of energy at each other. The two bolts met, and bounced off each other harmlessly."  
  
"Brother would kill brother to get what he wants," said the General. "I like it. Very well, you will be notified."  
  
"Thank you General," they said together. They saluted, and walked to the door that the general had opened. They entered another large room, where several of the student warriors waited, apparently for friends who had yet to interview. Max and Zan looked around. Zan tapped Max's arm and pointed to a dim corner where Kyle sat. The walked over and sat next to him.  
  
"You okay?" Max asked.  
  
"Would you be?" snapped Kyle.  
  
"No, which is precisely why I haven't looked to closely at Zan's memories. I'm not really ready to see myself die."  
  
"But it's not yourself," Kyle said, snidely. "Isn't that what Michael said?"  
  
"Will you chill out," said Zan. "You're drawing attention to yourself."  
  
"Why, can't Antarians argue with their so called friends?" snapped Kyle.  
  
"Not in English, you idiot," whispered Zan, his voice hard.. "Look, we get it, what you saw sucked, and if and when any of us see anything like it, it's going to suck too." He reached up and grabbed Kyle by the lapels and pushed him up against the wall. "You're pissed, and that's good, because if you had seen that and weren't, I'd have to kill you myself, but getting us all caught is **NOT** going to solve anything. Do you understand that?" He released his grip on Kyle, and Kyle slid down the wall.  
  
"Is there a problem?" one of the instructors asked.  
  
"Ah, no," improvised Max. "Just a small argument over who was better suited for the Aberjani. Obviously, it's me, since I didn't get drawn into their foolish argument.  
  
"Enough, Ma'nith Drania," said the instructor. "There is no need to try and impress me, I don't make the decision. Now the three of you, relax," the instructor continued. "This is the fifth fight I've had to break up since the interviews started." The instructor returned to policing the room, and Kyle glared angrily at Max and Zan.  
  
"You didn't see it," he said, his voice filled with anguish. "See what they did to her, and to your sister, and then try and imagine Liz in one of their places, and see how you feel." He turned away from them, but it wasn't fast enough. Both Max and Zan saw the glint of tears in his eyes. They didn't say anything more, but sat down on either side of him, each lost in their own thoughts.  
  
The wait for Michael seemed interminable, but he finally entered the room where the others waited for him.  
  
"How'd it go?" Max asked.  
  
"I don't know," said Michael. "He seemed to think he knew me from somewhere. He kept harping on it."  
  
"That's because he killed you, too," said Kyle dully. "He severed your head from your body, and stuck it on a spike and drove it into the dirt next to the body of your sister."  
  
Michael blanched at the graphic description of Rath's death. He took a deep breath and swallowed down the bile that filled his throat. "That's impossible, he couldn't recognize me," Michael said in an undertone "I don't look anything like myself, or Rath for that matter."  
  
"It's the way you act," said Zan. "And the way you carry yourself. Rath was confident. He carried himself with confidence, and so do you. Maybe that's what he sees?"  
  
"Is this another one of those memories?" asked Max.  
  
"No, on Earth, our protector used to tell us all the time how much Rath resembled the Rath on Antar. He was so like him; so supremely confident. When he walked into a room, he owned it. You're a lot like that," he said, looking at Michael.   
  
"Isn't that just freaking wonderful?" said Michael. "How can he remember that after like 50 years?"  
  
Max concentrated, accessing the information that had been implanted in them. "Time passes differently here," he said. "It's only been about five years since our former selves ruled here."  
  
"Nice," said Michael. "Why didn't anyone tell us about that little fact?"  
  
"Let's not worry about it now," said Max. "It's almost time for this social thing to begin. Why don't we go get ready, and then we can find the others. Okay Kyle? You'll get to see Ava in a little while."  
  
The social room was filled with students dressed in their finest clothing. By silent consent, they helped Kyle locate Ava first. Kyle's relief at seeing her was palpable. Maria was with Ava, and she and Michael managed to locate Isabel and Alex. They walked over to where Max stood, scanning the crowd.  
  
"Hey, any of you seen Liz?" he asked. "I can't find her anywhere."  
  
"Yeah, about that, Max," said Alex. "I don't know if she's going to make it tonight. She got taken away the first day we were here, and I haven't seen her since."


	26. Chapter 26 Science Rules

**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Twenty – Six** _Science Rules_  
  
"What?" screamed Max. He launched himself at Alex. Michael pulled him off and held him back as Max continued to scream. "Why didn't you find us and let us know? What happened, who took her?"  
  
"Shit, I did that all wrong," said Alex. "Max, just chill, will you? I'll explain everything. When we got here, they herded all us science and tech people into a giant room, and gave us all these tests. I did great, but Liz, she totally blew them away. They immediately placed her in this special program. She works like twenty four – seven, but it's all by choice, I swear it."  
  
"If you haven't seen her, how do you know it's by choice," Max ground out between his clenched teeth. "Talk to me Alex, before I do something you're going to regret."  
  
"Our living quarters are right next to each other," said Alex. "She left me a couple of notes, and left one for you, too. She said she was working on something really big, and she needed to focus on it as much as possible. Here's the note she left for you."  
  
Max took the note and opened it. He read it quickly at first, to make certain Liz was all right, then went back and read it again, more slowly.  
  
Dear Max,  
  
Don't be mad, but I got placed on a special team that's working on something very big. I'm a part of the team that is developing weapons and technology for the Aberjani. Max, how could I _not_ accept this opportunity? I'm going to try and get out of the lab long enough to get to this social thing, but it will look strange if the others keep working, and I don't. Please understand. I know you'd do the same thing if you were in my place.  
  
Love,   
  
Liz.   
  
Max finished reading the letter, and then read it out loud to his friends, in a very soft voice. "It's another in to the Aberjani," he said when he finished reading. We," he pointed to Michael, Zan, and Kyle, "interviewed with them today."  
  
"Are you sure it's from her?" Maria asked. "Liz would never pass up a chance to be with you Max. Maybe something's happened to her."  
  
"It's from Liz," Max said with a smile. "First, it's written in English, and second, he held up the note, and showed them the glowing M.E. L.P. in the glowing red heart.  
  
"That's my Chica," said Maria. "So, what are we supposed to do at this thing? Are we supposed to dance to that crap," she said, referring to the Antarian music that filled the air.  
  
"Well, it's not Metallica," said Michael, "But it isn't half bad."  
  
"Oh please," said Maria, rolling her eyes. "Come on Space Boy," she pulled on Michael's arm. "Let's go see if we can find me something I can eat."  
  
"Oh my God, that's right," said Isabel, looking at Alex and Kyle. "What are you guys eating. I know you can't stand the food here."  
  
"Let's just say I'm going to be a lot skinnier by the time this little adventure is through," laughed Alex.  
  
"Poor Kyle," said Ava, kissing his cheek. "I'd bet you'd give anything for some Saturn Rings and a Pepsi right about now.  
  
"Yeah, and a Will Smith burger," said Kyle, his eyes closed in ecstasy. "Man, who'd of ever thought I'd be homesick for the food at the CrashDown."  
  
"Not me," said a small girl with dark hair, who walked up to their small group.  
  
"Liz!" Max whispered, joyfully. "You made it."  
  
"And you don't know how hard it was to convince the other people I'm studying with to take some time off to relax. They're go go go, all the time. Zan," she said, turning to the duplicate of her husband. "How are you dealing with all of this?"  
  
"Much better, now that I don't have to look at his sad face, all torn up at the thought of missing you." The small group laughed at Zan's remark, but Liz, looking closely saw the underlying sadness in his eyes.  
  
"What are you doing in this program, Liz?" Isabel asked. "Alex told us a little, but not much."  
  
"Let's wait until Michael and Maria get back," said Liz. "I have a lot to tell you, and it's really important, but I only want to do it once. How's the diplomatic stuff coming?"  
  
"Pretty good, actually," said Isabel. "Right now, we're learning about the customs and etiquette of the cultures on some of the neighboring planets."  
  
"Yeah," laughed Max. "You should see Isabel. She's got this gracious 'Lady of the Manor,' thing going on when we have to act out these real life scenarios. Whereas, you can just about hear Zan thinking 'accept my treaty, or I'll kill you,'" laughed Max.  
  
"And who spilled the ceremonial drinks all over the Krevlonian Ambassador's lap?" asked Zan.  
  
"Now boys, play nice," said Ava. "Or I'll have to let Kyle hurt you."  
  
Michael and Maria joined their group of friends, while Maria bemoaned the fact that she couldn't find anything palatable to eat. "Nothing, and I mean nothing is going to fit me when I get back home," she said.  
  
"That reminds me," said Liz. She reached into the bag that she carried and pulled out three small packages. "Take one of these before every meal," she said. "You'll be able to tolerate the food better. It masks the taste of the food, so you'll be able to eat it.  
  
"Where did you get these?" asked Kyle, shoving the first one in his mouth. He grabbed a piece of food off of the plate that Michael held, and shoved it in his mouth. "Oh," he said, clearly disappointed. "It doesn't taste like anything."  
  
"No, it doesn't, but it's better than tasting the way it should, isn't it? And to answer your other question, I made them in the lab the other day."  
  
"Oh Chica, I could just give you a big giant smooch!" cried Maria.  
  
"Yeah, Maria's been worried about becoming too skinny," Isabel laughed. "But now that everybody's here, why don't you tell us what you need to tell us."  
  
Liz looked around, and led them over to a dark, empty corner of the room. When everyone was settled, she began to speak. "I as chosen to work on a project for the Aberjani," she said. "Our team's purpose is to create the most scientific and technologically advanced weapons we can. "These guys are like Hitler's storm troopers. They're out to eradicate every enemy Kivar has, and we're at the top of the list."  
  
"But why you?" asked Max. "The science part I get, but you don't know how to build weapons. Do you?"  
  
"No, we're focusing on the scientific aspect. A second group is being chosen from the tech group. Alex, you're on that list," said Liz. "You'll probably be notified soon. I'm trying to get it fixed so we can be teamed up together. You know, the whole brother sister thing. Anyhow, my job is help isolate key genes, for lack of a better word, that will allow he weapons to fix solely on it's intended target."  
  
"You have to invent a thing that can track you?" asked Maria.  
  
"Basically," said Liz. "But I've also gotten a chance to look at the stuff they already have, like those wrist bands that let them show up on Earth uninvited. I don't get too much of the technical aspect of it, but chemically, they are created strictly for the individual Aberjani."  
  
"Meaning?" asked Max.  
  
"Meaning, if you put on a band belonging to another Aberjani, it wouldn't work. In fact, it can kill you."  
  
"What a cheerful world you come from," said Kyle.  
  
"Attention, attention, may I have your attention please," came a voice from the front of the room. I am sorry to have to cut short your evening of socialization, but the following students please report to the front of the room, immediately." The voice read off a list of 12 names, including Kyle Max, Michael and Zan's names. The four walked to the front of the room with the rest of those named and waited.  
  
"You have been selected for a special project. Please vacate this room, and report to room 75, immediately," said the voice. Max looked at Liz and smiled. "I love you," he mouthed to her in English as he exited the room.  
  
"What's that all about?" Liz asked no one in particular.  
  
"I'm not sure," said Alex, "But earlier, Max told us they all went through an interview process for the Aberjani. I guess they were selected."  
  
"They're joining the Aberjani?" asked Liz. "That's too dangerous. We have to find a way to stop them."  
  
"And how is it any more dangerous than what any of us are doing?" asked Ava. "If any of us are caught, well, let's put it this way, I wouldn't be looking for a welcome home party and a parade."  
  
"This concludes the end of our social evening," said the voice from the front of the room. "Please return to your living quarters. Tomorrow is market day. You will all be free in the afternoon to go to the market."  
  
The room filled with cheers, and Liz and the others quickly made plans to meet up before they headed to the market area.  
  
"With any luck, we'll find the guys," said Alex. "You know, it didn't do a lot for my image in high school when I hung out with you two. Imagine how geeky I'll look when I'm walking around with _four_ girls."  
  
"You'll look incredibly popular," said Isabel, pressing a quick kiss on his lips.  
  
"Yeah, that's Alex, he's quite the stud muffin," said Maria. "Come on Ava, let's get back with the rest of the farmer doctor wannabes before we get the Antarian version of a demerit from the evil one.  
  
Liz quickly hugged Maria and Ava and watched as they filed out the door. "Alex, I'll meet you over there," she said, moving away to give the couple some privacy.  
  
"Seriously, Isabel, how are you holding up?" Alex asked. "Is this too much for you?"  
  
"I'm okay, Alex. I've been trying to go through Vilondra's memories, and get a feel for whom she was. But it's so sad sometimes to know that I'm feeling the memories of a dead woman."  
  
"Try not to think about it that way, Isabel. Pretend your studying history or something," said Alex. "And try and stick as close to Max and Zan, whenever you can. I hate not being with you."  
  
"I can take care of myself, Alex," Isabel said, her voice cool.  
  
"Hell, I know that," said Alex. "I want you around to protect [I]me/I]."  
  
"I love you," she said with a low, throaty chuckle. "And I'm going to show you in so many ways when we finally get a chance to be alone."  
  
Alex groaned, "You are an evil, evil woman, Isabel." He kissed her quickly and watched while she joined a group of the diplomatic students that were exiting the hall.  
  
"At least you got to say goodbye," said a soft voice next to him.  
  
"Come on Parker," Alex said, taking her by the arm. "Let's get out of here. We've got a busy day ahead of us tomorrow."


	27. Chapter 27 When Science and Nature Meet

**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Twenty – Seven** _When Science and Nature Meet_  
  
"Good Morning," said Plash Nevenia, the instructor. "Today, we are going to be working with a group of students from the medical program. "These students are part of a new branch of our medical program. They are studying some of the old ways of healing. To often, we rely on the healers to cure things that can be healed in other ways. There are fewer and fewer healers being born every year, so we must find other ways to care for the ill."  
  
Liz sat up, excitedly, hoping that this would provide her with an opportunity to work with either Ava or Maria, or both.  
  
"When the students join us, you will take a few minutes to get to know each other and then we will form groups and begin to work," explained the instructor. "They will be providing you with some of the plant life, and explaining the medicinal uses for these plants. Your job will be to examine the substances, and try and isolate the specific chemicals in the plants to see if they can be synthesized in the lab."  
  
There was a knock at the door, and a group of students filed in, along with another instructor. "Good morning," said the instructor. "This is Jara Kobodi, the natural healing instructor, and wife of the eminent General Kobodi.  
  
"Greetings," said Jara Kobodi. "My students are thrilled to be working on this project," she said. "This is Grenla. She is the best student I have," said Jara Kobodi, pulling a girl to the front of the room. She had short greasy black hair, and protruding eyes. " With whom shall she be working?"  
  
"I thought it best if the students met one another first, and formed groups on their own," said Plash Nevenia.  
  
"Foolishness," said Jara Kobodi, imperiously. "I demand that Grenla be pair up with your best student."  
  
"Very well," said Plash Nevenia, with a sigh. She disliked the autocratic head of the healers. She was rude and arrogant and had very few healing skills of her own. She had secured her position solely because her husband headed the Aberjani. "Let me see," Plash Nevenia looked at Liz. Liz looked at her with pleading eyes, and Plash nodded slightly. "Yes, I think Vorro would be an excellent match for your Grenla.  
  
Jara Kobodi pulled two girls out of the cluster of students and dragged them to the front of the group. "And here we have two of my worst students," she complained. "It disturbs me that they were even admitted to my program. With whom shall they work?"  
  
Without hesitation, Plash Nevenia said, "Lan – Elandria. Step to the front and take these two girls back with you. You shall work together."  
  
Liz bowed her head, and walked to the front of the room to meet her new partners. "I am Elandria," she said. "But you may call me Lan."  
  
"I am Mira, and this is Atara," said Maria. "Please show us where we shall work."  
  
Liz brought her two friends back to her workstation, as she passed Plash Nevenia, she looked up, and the instructor winked at her. When the three girls were seated, Liz began to set up the equipment that she needed.  
  
"So, you two are the worst students?" she whispered. "Maria, I thought you were going to apply yourself this time," she continued with a laugh.  
  
"Shut up," snapped Maria. "That woman is vile. She is absolutely evil, she hates us, and has from day one."  
  
"It's true," said Ava. "And that troll she calls her best student is dumber than Pam Troy, but her father is some sort of big wig, so she kowtows to her constantly. But I though you were working on that special Aberjani project thing?"  
  
"In the afternoons, three days a week, and in the mornings two days a week, so that we can attend our regular classes as well," explained Liz. "But we received notification today that we will also be working with the natural healers, and here we are."  
  
"Any idea of why we're all working together?" asked Ava under her breath.  
  
"According to Plash Nevenia, it's because of the lack of healers being born. They want to stop relying strictly on the healers, and find other ways to cure illnesses. You guys are supposed to provide me with natural substances, and I'm supposed to analyze them and figure out what makes them do what they do, and see if we can develop a man made version."  
  
"I wonder if hey have penicillin here?" mused Maria. "How cool would we be if we discovered that?"  
  
"Maria, there is no way we can discover penicillin," laughed Liz.  
  
"How about if we had some. Could you figure out what it's made from, and duplicate it with crap from around here?" Maria asked.  
  
"Probably, but since we don't have any, I can't do it," said Liz.  
  
Maria reached into the small pouch she carried and pulled out a small bottle, and passed it to Liz.  
  
"Where did you get this," Liz hissed at her.  
  
"Gold's Pharmacy, New York City," said Maria. "I had a small ear infection just before we left, and the doctor put me on penicillin. I packed it when we ran, and it was in the bag I had when we ended up here."  
  
"Cool, let's see," said Liz. "We'll have to analyze it, and then, find comparable ingredients that are indigenous to Antar, and then see if we can duplicate it. This is going to be fun!"  
  
"As members of the Aberjani training squad, you will, of course, swear a loyalty oath to Lord Kivar. Everything you do, from now, until you the day you die will be in the name of Lord Kivar. Do you understand?"  
  
"Yes answered the voices in the room. Michael looked around the dimly lit classroom. There were about twenty Aberjani trainees. The rest of the room was ringed but full fledged Aberjani. At the front of the room, stood General Kobodi, and behind him was a giant picture of Kivar. It was all Michael could do to keep himself from walking up to the front of the room, and tearing it down. He listened with half an ear as Kobodi droned on and on about their loyalty to Kivar, when he felt something pushing at his mind. He hadn't felt anything like it since Tess had died. She had tried mind-warping all of them, but thanks to the destiny book, they knew that platinum would break through the power of the mind warp.  
  
Michael glanced out of the corner of his eye to Max, and saw that he too, was aware of the mind warp. It had to be Kobodi. Whoever was doing the mind warping was extolling the virtues of Kivar. He looked past Max to Kyle who gave him a quick wink, assuring him that everything was okay.  
  
Michael looked to his right and saw that Zan was not looking good. His eyes were blank, and he was chanting Kivar's name, along with the other Aberjani. Michael surreptitiously removed the platinum band that he habitually wore, and reached over and shoved it into Zan's hand. He knew it was a risk, but he also knew that he had more practice than either Max or Kyle at throwing off a mind warp without the aid of platinum.  
  
"Damn it," he whispered to Zan. "Put it on." He elbowed Zan, but he continued to ignore Michael, and focus entirely on Kobodi. Michael reached over and grabbed the ring back from Zan, then shoved it on his hand. He watched as the focus slowly came back into Zan's eyes.  
  
"What the hell was that?" he whispered to Michael.  
  
"I'll explain later," Michael whispered back. "Just keep the ring on, and act like everybody else.  
  
"Ring?" asked Zan. He looked down at his hand, and saw Michael's wedding band on his finger. "Does Maria know about this?" he whispered. Michael just glared at him  
  
"Our lives are nothing without Kivar," said Kobodi. "Lord Kivar fought to free us from the tyranny of the royal family." Pictures of Zan, Ava, Vilondra and Rath filled the room. "They royal family was a blight upon our society. They lived only to suppress our freedom. Only now, thanks to Lord Kivar are we free."  
  
"Long live Lord Kivar," shouted one of the Aberjani that ringed the room.  
  
"Long live Lord Kivar," echoed the trainees.  
  
"Unfortunately, there are still factions on Antar that remain loyal to the tyrannical royal family. We must fight to rid our word of these enemies, lest they insinuate themselves, like a disease, spreading and causing discontent," screamed Kobodi. "You must have constant vigilance. Always be on alert. You never know who may betray you. Your own neighbor may be your worst enemy. As Aberjani, you live only to eradicate this blight upon our society. Long live Lord Kivar!"  
  
"Long live Lord Kivar. Long live Lord Kivar!" echoed across the training room. Suddenly the lights came on in a blinding flash and began to strobe. A loud high-pitched whistle filled the air, drowning out the chants from the Aberjani. As quickly as it began, it ended, and the room was filled with silence. Michael looked around and saw that approximately half of the trainees were collapsed on the floor clutching their ears.  
  
"Remove the failures," said Kobodi imperiously. The Aberjani moved in and began to drag the prone bodies out of the room. "Congratulations," he said. "You have passed the first test, and are on your way to becoming members of the Aberjani. They," he spat contemptuously at one of the trainees still on the floor, "Are worthless. They are weak. As Aberjani, you may have to endure unspeakable torture. You must have the strength and mental fortitude to overcome any and all physical torture. That will be all for today, you are dismissed."  
  
Kobodi strode from the room, followed by the Aberjani. Silence filled the room for several minutes. Slowly, one by one, the remaining trainees left, until only Max, Zan, Michael and Kyle remained.  
  
"Not here," said Michael, when Zan opened his mouth to speak. "Later, in the marketplace." Zan nodded, and the four of them left the room, ignoring the pictures of the royal family that were still displayed on the walls.


	28. Chapter 28 Rest and Recreation

**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Twenty – Eight** – _Rest and Recreation_  
  
The marketplace was alive and exploding with excitement and color. Maria laughed and spun around in an impromptu dance, happy to be away from the Training Academy for even a short time. She grabbed Liz by the hands and spun her around. "I am so glad to be out of there!" she cried. "If I had to look at that stupid Grenla for one more second, I thought I would scream. I mean Jesus, don't they have shampoo on this stupid planet.  
  
"Maria, quiet down," laughed Liz. "What if someone heard you?" She pulled Maria by the arm and they raced to catch up to Ava who was walking several feet ahead of them.  
  
"Maria's right, Liz," said Ava softly. "A few lessons on personal hygiene would not be remiss." The three girls laughed, and the sound carried back to Alex and Isabel who were walking hand in hand several feet behind them.  
  
"I'm glad to see the children are amusing themselves," said Isabel with a grin.  
  
"Go on," said Alex. "Your just mad that I'm here and you can't go play with them."  
  
"Right," said Isabel. "Hang out with my girlfriends, instead of my best friend. No, I'm good right where I am. She squeezed Alex's hand and smiled.  
  
"Do you ever wonder what our lives would have been like if the Granolith hadn't chosen us for each other?" he asked her.  
  
"No, because I know you are the one I belong with. I fought it for so long. I didn't want to let myself get close to anyone. But you kept right on pushing yourself into my life. And I'm glad, Alex. So very, very glad, because I can't imagine anyone else I'd rather spend my life with."  
  
"I love you, too, Isabel," Alex said.  
  
"Hey, enough of that serious stuff," shouted Maria. "We have some people to find, and some shopping to do."  
  
Alex and Isabel laughed at Maria's comment as they strolled around the marketplace.  
  
"Excuse me," said a man, standing in the doorway of a small eating establishment. "The Royal Keeper of the garbage dump would like to know if you would join him for the midday meal?"  
  
Isabel and the others looked wary, but Liz exploded with laughter and began to guide them into the restaurant.  
"Apparently that's our new secret code," Maria said to Ava. "Either that's Che'koth, or we just got hit on by the freakiest alien in the world, and worse, Liz fell for it."  
  
They followed the man into the restaurant, and sat at a large table set off from the main dining area. They sat around the table and the man they thought was Che'koth walked back out of the dining area to stand in the front door. Soon he returned with Kyle, Max, Michael and Zan in tow. "I will bring food," he said.  
  
They sat, silent, until Che'koth returned with the food. He set platters in front of each of them and urged them to eat. Kyle reached into his pocket and pulled out one of the tablets that Liz had made.  
  
"You won't need that," said Che'koth. "The food is seasoned appropriately."  
  
"Hot damn," said Kyle. "That means we can taste it." He grabbed a spoon and started to eat.  
  
"This will be the last time you can meet in public in this large a group," said Che'koth. "It is too dangerous. I will find a place for you to meet, in the Training Academy, or rather, underneath it. It will be a haven for you, as well as a place for you to meet and share your news."  
  
"I don't think we're going to have a lot of free time," said Isabel. "They keep our days pretty well filled."  
  
"That is traditional," said Che'koth. "It helps to weed out the students that won't succeed."  
  
"Nice friendly student focused school system you have here," said Alex.  
  
"Yeah, but with the dual course of study, and the Aberjani training, I don't see much in the way of free time," said Max.  
  
"What?" asked Che'koth. "Aberjani training? What are you talking about?"  
  
"General Kobodi came in, and gave a big spiel about the wonders of the Aberjani, and how it's not just a career, it's a way of life," explained Max. "Anyhow, we all had to interview, even if we didn't want to be a part of it, and we all managed to get in."  
  
"This is interesting," said Che'koth. "The Aberjani has never actively recruited students. It must mean they are planning something big."  
  
"They are," said Liz. "I'm working on a special tracking device for the Aberjani. They want to be able to hone in on a person's genetic sequence and track them down by that. Well, it's more involved than that, but you know what I mean."  
  
"They are afraid," said Che'koth. "That is good. With fear comes mistakes. What else can you tell me?"  
  
"Well, it's probably not much," said Ava. "Maria and I are part of a group that has been sent to work with the science students. We've noticed that our instructor hates us, but that's not what's interesting. She was ridiculing us in front of the two classes, and acting all imperious, trying to tell Liz's instructor what to do and who to pair who up with, you know? Anyhow, Liz's instructor totally blew her off, and put us with Liz."  
  
"Yeah," added Liz. "Their instructor wanted her so-called best student paired with the best in my class, but my instructor saw me shaking my head, and she put this girl with the absolute worst student in the class. Then their instructor pulled them out and said they were the worst, and who should they be paired with. I tried signaling my instructor with my eyes, and I guess it worked because she put us together."  
  
"Who are these instructors?" asked Che'koth. He stroked his chin as he contemplated all the information they had gathered so far.  
  
"My instructor is Plash Nevenia," said Liz.  
  
"And we are blessed with the wonderful and delightful Jara Kobodi," said Maria. "She is evil incarnate."  
  
"You are not far wrong, Maria," said Che'koth. "She is the wife of General Kobodi, the head of the Aberjani, and Kivar's second in command."  
  
"Well she's just a big fat stupid jerk," said Maria, heatedly. "She doesn't know much of anything. I asked one time why there were so few healers being born, and she just ignored me."  
  
"That's because it's not that fewer and fewer healers are being born, it's that the ones that are, are being killed by Kivar."  
  
"What!" came the exited reply from around the table. "Why?"  
  
"Most of the true healers, that is, people who have the ability to heal any and all injuries and illnesses have an almost direct connection to the royal lineage. Kivar wants to destroy anybody with a connection to the royal family."  
  
"Nice," said Zan. "Remind me not to heal anybody while I'm here. Though with the headache I have today, I sure could have used a bit of healing."  
  
"Why? What's wrong with your head?" Ava asked, her voice filled with concern.  
  
"It's nothing," said Zan, trying to deflect the interest his statement had made.  
  
"No it's not nothing," said Michael. "Kobodi was doing a big mind warp on all the Aberjani, the existing ones, as well as the trainees. You know, Kivar is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Zan didn't have any protection, so he took it full force for a while, until I realized what was going on."  
  
"He gave me a ring to wear," said Zan. He held up his hand to show everyone the ring, then slid it off of his hand. "Thanks. What's so special about it, and how come you didn't need it?" he asked.  
  
"It's made of platinum," explained Alex. "There's something about the energy wavelengths in the platinum that blocks a mind warp. I still don't fully get it, but it works, and I'm not going to argue with it. As far as not needing it, Michael's the only one who ever managed to break through one of Tess' mind warps without wearing any platinum."  
  
"Yeah, but after today's session, I don't know if I can do it again. That guy is strong," said Michael.  
  
"Don't worry about it," said Zan, his voice tinged with arrogance. "If you can throw it off, I know I can."  
  
"No, you can't," said Isabel. "Don't be stupid and prideful. That's what got you killed the first time. You wouldn't listen to anybody. Well, damn it, this time, nobody dies. You're going to listen, and you're going to do as we tell you." As she spoke, she removed a necklace from her neck. "Here, I don't need this, I have earrings and a bracelet made from platinum, as well as my wedding band." She placed the necklace on the table and passed her hand over it, and it morphed into a thin platinum band. "You will wear this, and you won't argue about it."  
  
Zan just looked at her, shocked that she would talk to him that way. It wasn't something Lonnie had ever done, but then again, Lonnie had tried to kill him. At least Isabel was trying to save him.  
  
"You might as well do it, man," said Alex. "She's using the Christmas Nazi voice. You don't have a chance in hell of winning against _that_."  
  
Zan shrugged and slipped the band on his middle finger. _What the hell,_ he thought to himself. _It beats getting run over by a truck._


	29. Chapter 29 Clandestine Meetings

**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Twenty – Nine** – _Clandestine Meetings_  
  
"Every good school should have an eraser room of some type," grumbled Maria. "I don't care what galaxy it's in. Che'koth promised us a place where we could get together. I wish he'd hurry up and come through with it."  
  
"I don't think he had _that_ in mind when he suggested a meeting place, Maria," Ava said with a grin.  
  
"That is so **not** what I meant, and you know it," said Maria. "I meant just a place to get together where we could be us, and not have to watch every single thing we say and do. It's hard. I mean, we're together in classes every day, but even then, we still have to watch every single thing we say."  
  
"Life's about to get a bit harder," Ava reminded her. "We have Jara Kobodi's class again."  
  
"Oh," moaned Maria. "Don't remind me. Fine, let's go." She grabbed the pouch, which contained her last remaining penicillin tablet, and followed Ava out of her sleeping quarters into the hallway.  
  
"Do you think this is what dorm rooms in our colleges are like?" asked Maria.  
  
"N'ah," said Ava. "Me and Zan crashed at one of the dorms at NYU one time when he was pissed with Lonnie and Rath. They were way bigger than these. And they had way more personality if you can believe it. These rooms are horrible, a little cot, and a closet for your stuff. And all the rules about not leaving personal belongings out, and not decorating the rooms is weird. I mean that dorm room we used was filled with junk."  
  
"Why are you two girls talking in the halls," demanded an imperious voice behind them. "As students of the Training Academy, you should be aware that the rules prohibit talking in the halls between classes. It is a disturbance to the more serious minded students."  
  
Maria and Ava turned around, expecting to see Jara Kobodi, and were shocked to find Liz's primary instructor Plash Nevenia standing behind them.  
  
"I can well see why Jara Kobodi finds you to be such a poor representation of her program. You will, I think, have to perform some sort of service, as a punishment." She took a folded piece of paper from her pocket and passed it to Ava. "You will follow these directions exactly," she said. "Do you understand?"  
  
"Ah, yeah," said Maria, grabbing Ava's arm and pulling her away from Plash Nevenia. "Whatever you say. We're going to be late. Please excuse us."  
  
"That was above peculiar," said Maria. "What's on the paper?"  
  
Ava unfolded it and read it carefully, then passed it to Maria. Maria stared uncomprehendingly at the paper for several moments before the meaning finally sank in. "Hot damn!" she said.  
  
Liz sat at the lab table, studying the sample under the Antarian equivalent of a microscope. It was far more powerful than anything she had ever seen at home. She removed the slide, and slipped in another one, this one containing a sample of her blood. Carefully, she added a drop of a chemical compound she had been working on, to the slide, and the chemical attacked her blood cells, completely eradicating them.  
  
She meticulously noted her findings, on the log sheet and continued to study. She removed the slide, and put another one under the viewer. This one contained both a sample of her blood, and a classmate's blood. She added a drop of the chemical compound to the slide, and watched through the view piece as the chemicals attacked only her blood cells. Again she noted her findings on the log sheet, then waved her hand over them, and watched as the writing disappeared completely. A quick glance at the time piece on the wall revealed that she had only minutes to clean up before she had to go to class. Today was her afternoon session with Maria and Ava, and she wanted to get a sample of their blood to confirm her findings.  
  
Liz ran down the hall, and slipped into her seat just before the instructors entered the classroom. Jara Kobodi walked in as if the entire room was subservient to her. Plash Nevenia followed behind her, shooting daggers of hatred with her eyes.  
  
"Good afternoon students," said Plash Nevenia. "Today, I would like you to,"  
  
"Today, they will continue what they were working on yesterday," interrupted Jara Kobodi. "Their findings were totally useless. I am highly disappointed in their performance. I expect far greater things from them today. Is that clear," she addressed her final comment to the class.  
  
"You had any luck on the penicillin front?" Maria asked Liz "Because I would give anything to wipe that supercilious smirk off of her face."  
  
"Maria," laughed Liz. "I didn't even know you knew what supercilious meant. And yes, I did make some headway on it. I worked on it all last night."  
  
"Oh Chica, I'm sorry, you must be exhausted," said Maria.  
  
"No, actually it was kind of exhilarating," said Liz. "And lately, I've been finding I don't need as much sleep as I used to."  
  
"Okay, then, what's our next step?" asked Ava. "I feel so useless, I haven't done anything helpful yet."  
  
"Ava, don't talk like that," said Maria. "You were the one who found almost all of the plant life Liz needed to do whatever it was she did."  
  
"You're right though," Liz said to Ava. "We need to find a way to explain what we've found, and why we put it together the way we did."  
  
"Cool it," whispered Maria. "The evil on herself is on her way." She motioned with her head toward Jara Kobodi, who was walking around the classroom. Liz looked around and shot a pleading glance at Plash Nevenia, and was rewarded when she Plash Nevenia darted around Jara Kobodi and came to their table.  
  
"Yes, Lan, how are things progressing here?" she asked.  
  
"Oh we are making some progress, Plash," said Liz.  
  
"Let me look," said the instructor. She peered into the microscope and focused on the sample on the slide. "This is interesting, very interesting. What is its purpose?"  
  
"It's a compound to eradicate infection," said Maria. "We've utilized several natural substances that Atara suggested."  
  
"No, most of the plants were suggested by Mira," said Ava. "She's very, very knowledgeable.  
  
"Keep up the good work, girls, I think you are on to something here," Plash Nevenia said in an undertone.  
  
"What foolish things are these three wasting their time on?" inquired Jara Kobodi, shoving her way past Plash Nevenia.  
  
"Nothing, they've found nothing, I was just about to take them to task for their shoddy work, Jara Kobodi," said Plash.  
  
"I would expect no more from these two," said Kobodi, pointing at Maria and Ava. "They are worse than useless." She turned from the table, her disgust evident, and crossed the classroom and walked out the door.  
  
"I'm sorry, girls," Plash said softly. "I had to do that." She moved on to the next table, leaving Liz, Ava and Maria to sit in silence. Ava glanced around the room, and saw that the other students all avoided looking in their direction. She took the opportunity to pass the message she and Maria had received earlier, to Liz.  
  
Liz quickly read the note, and stuffed it into her pocket.  
  
"How can we get it to the others?" Maria asked. "We never see them."  
  
"Um, well, I can get it to Alex," said Liz. "If he can get it to Isabel, she can give it to Zan and Max, and they can tell Michael and Kyle. God, this is worse than junior high!"  
  
"I do not want to wait until the next market thingy before we get to tell them," said Maria. "There has got to be some way to be certain that Alex can get this to Isabel."  
  
"Maybe there's another way," said Ava. "Liz, quick, make a copy of the note and give it to me. I have an idea."  
  
Liz quickly copied the note and gave Ava the original. Ava raised her hand and called to the instructor.  
  
"Excuse me, Plash Nevenia," she whispered softly. "I received an urgent message from my family today, and I need to get it to my brother. Is there any way I can do this?"  
  
"Certainly," said the instructor. "Do you know where his living quarters are located?"  
  
"Yes, ma'am, he's in the warrior training section," said Ava.  
  
"Then I suggest you go quickly, and slip the message under his door. Make haste and do not get caught."  
  
Ava muttered a quick thank you and scampered out of the classroom. She looked up and down the hall, then walked swiftly to the Training Academy living quarters. She crept silently up the stairs and quickly located Michael's room. Ava looked up and down the hall once more to make sure she was unobserved then slid the note under the door. She turned and started back down the hallway. She reached the stairs, and screamed as she felt a hand come crashing down on her shoulder.


	30. Chapter 30 Liz is on a Mission

**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Thirty** – _Liz is on a Mission_  
  
"She should be back by now," Liz whispered to Maria.  
  
"You think I don't know that?" Maria whispered back. "Something must have gone wrong. We need to go find her."  
  
"No we don't," whispered Liz. "Look." She nodded her head in the direction of the door, and Maria turned around to see Ava standing in the doorway, a triumphant smile playing around her mouth.  
  
"Sorry I took so long," she said, quietly. "I ran into someone. Don't worry; everything is fine. I'll tell you about it later on." She stopped talking when Jara Kobodi entered the room.  
  
"Natural healers, you will come with me," she commanded imperiously."  
  
"Wait!" Liz whispered. "I need a sample of your blood." She slipped two vials out of her pouch, and quickly filled them with samples of Maria and Ava's blood. "I'm so glad Isabel taught me that trick," she murmured, thinking back to the time they substituted Alex's blood for Max's.  
  
"Thanks a lot, Vampira," Maria said. Liz watched as her two friends followed the rest of the natural healers out of the room. She turned her attention to what Plash Nevenia was saying, but she couldn't focus. Her mind kept wandering between her findings in her experiments, Ava's cryptic comments, and the hatred, which emanated off of Jara Kobodi whenever she was around Maria and Ava. She'd never seen any teacher hate a student as much, not even Michael when he deigned to show up for classes.  
  
"You are dismissed Elandria," Plash Nevenia said, standing in front of her. Liz shook her head, and focused on the now empty classroom.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said. "I was thinking about something."  
  
"Yes, that is obvious," said the instructor. "If you have a moment, I'd like to discuss the compound you and your co-workers created. What is its purpose?"  
  
"Um, to eradicate infection," said Liz. "I just need to find some infected cells to test it on."  
  
"Excellent," said the instructor. "You are excused from the rest of your classes. You are to go to this address," she wrote something down on a slip of paper. They will have everything that you need. Go, now, quickly, but be back in time for the evening meal. Bring your purchases to class tomorrow, and you can begin your tests."  
  
"Thank you," said Liz. She quickly gathered her belongings and exited the classroom. She was very wary of Plash Nevenia. Experience had taught her that there were very few people on their side, and the fewer people they trusted, the better.  
  
Liz ran up to her living quarters, and deposited her school things, and ran back down stairs. She slipped out a side door, and began to walk away from the Training Academy. Seeing the city on market day had been like seeing a carnival, but seeing it like this was even more exciting. The market place was less crowded, and Liz was able to engage in people watching. Everywhere she looked, she saw Antarians going about their business, but none of them were happy. There was a solemn feeling in the market place that she couldn't begin to explain.  
  
Liz paused before the restaurant where they had found Che'koth the first time they went into town, but she did not see him anywhere. She sighed, but continued on her way. A little bit of company would have been nice, but she wasn't going to let a lack of it ruin her day. A crowd of people rushed past her, and Liz jumped out of the way to avoid being trampled. She stood to one side as more and more people began to rush down the street to the markets center. She continued walking down the winding street until it opened up to the giant market center. There, a large crowd gathered, listening to a man standing on a platform, making a speech.  
  
"We must overthrow the tyrannical ropes that bind us!" screamed the man. We must free ourselves of the oppressor who has overthrown the one true king, Zan. Brothers, stand with me and fight for freedom. Fight for King Zan!" The crowd took up his cry, and soon the market entered with the roar of the crowd. "Fight for King Zan! Fight for King Zan!"  
  
Liz tried to extricate herself from the chanting crowd, but found herself hemmed in on all sides. She fought harder as the chants turned to screams of pain. She looked toward the platform, and saw the man being dragged down by the Aberjani. She watched in horror as they began to beat him, and yet he still called out to the crowd to fight for King Zan, with his last breath.  
  
"Let me out of here," she cried as she tried to push her way through the throng of stampeding people. She was just about to break through the crowd, when a hand reached out and grabbed her arm.  
  
"Not so fast, rebel," crowed the Aberjani who had captured her. "You will join the other rebel scum we have captured to go on trial for treason against Lord Kivar."  
  
"I am not a rebel, you simple minded idiot," shouted Liz as she struggled to break free from his grasp. "I got caught in the crowd. Now let me go."  
  
"Coward," said the Aberjani. "You are willing to speak out against Kivar when you are but one of the faceless crowd, but how quickly you throw down your beliefs when you are confronted.  
  
"I said let me go," said Liz. She twisted her body so that she was facing her captor, and, using her free hand, grabbed the back of the hand, which held her arm. She applied pressure to the back of the hand the way Sheriff Valenti had shown her, and twisted his wrist, causing the Aberjani to drop to his knees in agony.  
  
"What have we here?" said a loud voice behind her. "One of the rebel scum has brought one of my Aberjani to his knees?"  
  
"If you please, Sir," said Liz. "I am not a rebel. My instructor sent me to the market place to get some materials I will need for a project tomorrow. I got caught up in the crowd. I tried to free myself from the mob, but there were too many of them. See, I have a note from my instructor, telling me where to go, and what to purchase." She passed the man the note given to her by Plash Nevenia, and held her breath.  
  
The man took the note and read it. He looked at Liz, and at the Aberjani who was still on his knees.  
  
"What did you do to my soldier?" he asked.  
  
"I'm sorry, sir, but he was hurting me, and he wouldn't listen. I tried to explain to him, really I did. But he wouldn't let me go, and I just reacted or something, and he ended up on the ground."  
  
"Do you know who I am, little girl?" asked the man. Liz shook her head, and caught her lower lip between her teeth. "I am General Kobodi, head of the Aberjani, and second in command to Lord Kivar, and you, little girl, have shamed one of my warriors. I want to know how you did it!"  
  
"Give me your hand," Liz commanded.  
  
"What?" said the aghast Kobodi. He was the general. Who was this mere snip of a girl giving him orders?  
  
"You said you wanted to know what I did, well, give my your hand, and I'll show you," said Liz. She waited impatiently for a second, then reached out and grabbed the general's hand, pressed her thumb into the pressure point on the back of his wrist and twisted his arm just enough to cause him some pain. She was smart enough to realize this was one person she didn't want to bring to his knees. She relaxed the pressure on his hand, and stepped back and waited.  
  
"Hmm, that's very interesting," blustered Kobodi. He glanced at the note he had taken from Liz earlier and shoved it back into her hand. "Fine, be on your way," he said. "And I advise you to chose your path more carefully next time. You!" he shouted at the Aberjani that Liz had incapacitated. "You are to punished. You let that mere slip of a girl do this to you. You who are supposed to be the pride of the Antarian army!"  
  
"Please General Kobodi, you don't understand," pleaded the other man.  
  
"Silence, I grow weary of the sound of your voice!" shouted the General. He released a bolt of energy in the direction of the man. He screamed in pain. The screams intensified as the general released another bolt in his direction.  
  
Liz stood transfixed in horror at the sight before common sense forced her to turn and run. She ran as if the hounds of hell were chasing her, straight into the arms of Che'koth.


	31. 31 Crash into Me

**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Thirty-One** _Crash into Me _  
  
"Relax, Liz, it's me," Che'koth said, holding Liz tightly by the arms to stop her fall. "Plash Nevenia told me she was going to send you to me today. When you didn't arrive, I became worried. Where have you been, Liz?  
  
"Oh, Che'koth, it was horrible!" cried Liz. "There was an uprising or something in the market place, and I got caught in it. I tried to get away, but one of the Aberjani grabbed me."  
  
"Liz, are you alright?" Che'koth asked. He pushed her away from him slightly, and his eyes ran up and down her body, the way a parent would look over their child after she had been in a dangerous situation.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine," she answered, despite the pounding in her heart. "I-well, he wouldn't let go of me, so I kind of made him let go of me."  
  
"Majesty, please tell me you did not use your powers on an Aberjani in public?" begged Che'koth.  
  
"No, of course not," said Liz. "I used a good old fashioned self defense technique which brought him to his knees. Unfortunately, that General Kobodi saw it. He had a major cow."  
  
"He had a bovine?" asked Che'koth, clearly puzzled.  
  
"No, it means he freaked, he wasn't happy, you know," said Liz. "Come on Che'koth, stay with me here."  
  
"You sound much like your friend Maria, Liz. She above all of you consistently confuses me. I think she takes pleasure in it," said Che'koth. "But let's get you off of the streets. I want to hear the rest of your tale." He lead her down a small alley, and into a dingy shop. "Before we do anything else," he said. "Here is what Plash Nevenia sent you to get."  
  
"Can we trust her?" Liz asked. "I want to trust her. My instincts are telling me to trust her, but my common sense is saying trust no one."  
  
"You can trust her with your life, Majesty," said Che'koth. "She, like I, would die to protect you."  
  
"Well, it's not going to come to that," Liz said, her voice grim. "Nobody else I know is going to die, at least not if I have anything to say about it. And don't call me Majesty."  
  
"As you wish," said Che'koth, with a nod of his head.  
  
"Right, if only it were that easy. Look, Che'koth, I have a million and one questions for you, but I really have to get back to the Training Academy. Plash was adamant about that."  
  
"Come with me, Liz. We will talk while I show you something very important," said Che'koth. He led her to the back of the store, and lifted up a trap door in the floor. "This tunnel will take you back to the Training Academy. It goes directly to the hidden room that Plash told you about." He climbed down the ladder and waited to help Liz.  
  
Liz climbed down the ladder, and missed the last couple of rungs, and fell into Che'koth's arms. "Thanks," she said, a bit breathless. "That really would have hurt my, um my dignity."  
  
"You are all right, Liz?" Che'koth asked. When he nodded, he relaxed his grasp on Liz and placed her on the floor. "Follow me," he said over his shoulder. "You will want to know that an emissary was sent to Roswell, as you requested. He made contact with Sheriff Valenti. The emissary, along with Sheriff Valenti, met with your families, and explained everything."  
  
"Oh, God," whispered Liz. "How bad was it?"  
  
"That is not important," said Che'koth. "What matters is that your families know the truth, and they support you."  
  
"They know everything?" Liz asked, faintly.  
  
"Yes, they know the truth about the crash, and about Max and the others coming out of the pods. They know how Max saved you, and how Tess tried to destroy you all," said Che'koth."  
  
"Do they, do they know about?" Liz asked softly, her voice breaking slightly.  
  
"Yes, they know that you were married, and about the child that you lost in battle."  
  
"Oh, God," whispered Liz. "They must hate us."  
  
"On the contrary. They are awed by your resourcefulness, and saddened that you were not able to share these burdens with them," said Che'koth. "They want all of you to know how much they love you. They wish that they could be here to fight with you, but know that it isn't possible."  
  
Liz stopped and grabbed Che'koth by the arm. "Just who was the emissary that went to see Jim?" she asked.  
  
"I did, Majesty," said Che'koth. "Along with a contingent of guards."  
  
"Guards, why?" asked Liz.  
  
"To protect your families from the Aberjani," said Che'koth. "If this angers you, Majesty, I can arrange to have them removed."  
  
"Angers me? Che'koth, it's a wonderful idea. I only wish I had thought of it myself, and don't call me that," said Liz.  
  
"If you will remember, Liz, you had a great many things on your mind the night we discussed sending somebody back to Roswell to tell your parents. And, even if you had thought of it, you never would have requested it. You find it so hard to even hear your title, you would never use it for yourself," said Che'koth.  
  
"Well, I will this time," said Liz with a smile. "I command you to give me a hug."  
  
"That is one thing you will never have to order me to do," said Che'koth, hugging Liz. "Now, we must make haste, Liz, for it is getting late."  
  
The two hurried down the dark tunnel. Liz felt herself begin to go down a slight incline, and then the tunnel widened out, and stopped at a heavy door. Che'koth reached out and opened the door, and escorted Liz into a small room. "Where are we?" she asked. "Is this the room in the Training Academy?"  
  
"It is," said Che'koth. "Now, I want you to walk out that door, turn left, and go up two flights of stairs. You will come out in a small hallway adjacent to the common study area. Are you able to find your way from there?"  
  
"I'll be fine Che'koth, but what about you?" asked Liz.  
  
"I will wait here until you and the others return, tonight. We have much to talk about. Be safe, Liz."  
  
"And you," said Liz. She smiled, and slipped quietly out the door, and into the hallway


	32. Chapter 32 Antarian Eraser Room

**Chapter Thirty – Two** – _Antarian Eraser Room_  
  
Ava gave a small scream when she felt a hand grab her shoulder. "What are you doing here?" a heavy voice inquired, harshly. She turned, trying to smother scream.  
  
"I, I – Oh, Alex, it's you. You big jerk, you scared me," she said. She hugged him tightly.  
  
"This is like no man's land for you," said Alex. "Why are you up here, is anything wrong?"  
  
"No, actually, everything is good for a change," said Ava. She filled Alex in on the meeting place, and gave him a copy of the note, explaining how to find it. "And listen Alex, I need a favor from you." She pulled him down and whispered something in his ear, and Alex exploded with laughter.  
  
"You are so evil, Ava," laughed Alex. "I'll take care of everything."  
  
"Great, I'll see you tonight," said Ava, placing a quick kiss on his cheek. "I have to run. I'm supposed to be in class. See you tonight."  
  
Alex watched as the petite girl ran down the hall, then he turned on his heel and made his way back to his room to complete his given assignment.  
  
Liz slipped into the dining hall just as the evening meal was beginning. She popped one of the pills she created, and sat to eat her meal. She had barely taken one bite before she heard a call to attention.  
  
"Attention, attention, may I have your attention, please," came a voice from the dining hall. "Congratulations to all of you. You have successfully completed your first two weeks at the Training Academy. As you enter the next phase of your training, you will find that things will 'relax' a bit. As you may, or may not know, the first two weeks are a training period for new students. As you have all successfully passed this training period, the administration would like to announce that you may now have the hours after the dinner hour free for recreation, or study. Enjoy your time, and use it wisely."  
  
Cheers filled the dining area as the students celebrated this bit of news. Liz looked over to where Max and Zan sat, and smiled. This would make their meeting a little easier. When the dinner hour ended, she joined the throng of students exiting the dining area. She followed the crowd for part of the time, in the direction of the common study area, but when the majority of the students turned left, she ducked down a side corridor on her left. She looked around to make sure nobody was observing her, and went down the two flights of stairs, and located to door to their meeting area. A sign over the door, written in English caused her to burst into laughter.  
  
Liz opened the door, and slipped inside to find Che'koth, and Alex waiting for her.  
  
"Your idea?" she asked Alex.  
  
"No, I simply executed the plan. Ava is the master mind behind it," explained Alex. "I bumped into her when she was slipping a note under Michael's door. I scared the shit out of her, so I figured I owed her this."  
  
"What are you two talking about?" Che'koth asked, like an indulgent father.  
  
"Nothing much," said Alex. I just put up a little sign for Maria, but relax, I'm going to take it down, after she sees it. No sense in drawing too much attention to our meeting down here."  
  
"You are a very wise person, Alex," said Che'koth. "You are right, there is a time for levity, but there is also a time for discretion." Che'koth paused when the door opened, and Ava, Michael and Max walked in. Max and Michael were smiling, and Ava looked extremely proud of herself.  
  
Kyle and Zan walked in next, with Kyle explaining the significance of the eraser room in their lives. "Cool sign," he said. "Who thought of it?"  
  
"Talk to your wife, Valenti," said Alex, "It was all her idea."  
  
"And just who are we supposed to be amusing with said sign?" asked Kyle.  
  
"Maria," said Ava. "She was complaining about it the other day."  
  
"Aw, isn't that nice," said Max. "She misses you, Michael."  
  
"Shut up, Maxwell," said Michael, his face suffused with color. He looked around the room. "Nice place. "What are those things over there?" he asked Che'koth.  
  
"All in good time," said Che'koth. "I'd rather make my explanations one time only. He was interrupted by squeals of laughter from the other side of the door. "I assume that means Maria is here," he said.  
  
Ava ran to open the door, and bowed low. "Welcome to the Antarian Eraser Room," she said. "Where all manner of debauchery can be found."  
  
"You are such a twit," said Maria hugging her, while Isabel reached up and pulled the sign down.  
  
"Nice sign, Alex," she said, tossing it to her husband.  
  
"How'd you know?" he asked as he caught the sign.  
  
"Well, it was either you or Kyle," said Isabel. "Neither Max or Michael have such a well developed sense of whimsy. I don't know about Zan, but I'm guessing he's right up there with Max in the chuckles department, and if it had been Kyle, he wouldn't have been able to keep it secret."  
  
"Hey, I can keep a secret!" shouted Alex over Max and Michael's cries of character assassination.  
  
Che'koth watched as the group teased each other back and forth for a while. He knew that after the past few weeks, they needed this time to relax and have fun. Chances are there wasn't going to be much fun in their immediate futures. When their carefree laughter died a natural death, he stepped forward to address his king.  
  
"Majesty, I have returned from my recent journey to your planet to explain to your families what is happening. All of them," he said, now addressing the entire room, "Send you their love and support. They are saddened that you did not take them into your confidence before now, but they understand why you felt that you could not. Kyle, your father was tantamount in explaining some of the precarious situations that all of you have faced."  
  
"Are our families in any immediate danger?" asked Kyle.  
  
"No," said Che'koth. "I left a squad of our best soldiers down with them to protect them from any attacks. They will be safe."  
  
"That's not enough," said Max. "We need to eliminate the Aberjani, and to do that, we have to get rid of Kivar."  
  
"We will, Max," Liz said, her voice resolute. "After my run in with them today, I can't wait to see them all dead."  
  
"Run it?" asked Max. "What run in?"  
  
Liz explained what she had seen in the market area, and her encounter with both the Aberjani, and General Kobodi. Max was furious at the thought of Liz being in such a dangerous situation, but he was also proud of the way she was able to take care of herself.  
  
"Chica, I can't believe it," said Maria. "That's it, no more secret errands for you. From now on you take one of us with you."  
  
"Why, so it can happen to both of us?" Liz asked. "Listen, it's not important. I doubt I'm going to be running around town again, any time soon. But I have some other news that's even more important. I made a major breakthrough today on the special project I'm working on."  
  
"The penicillin one?" asked Maria  
  
"What penicillin experiment?" asked Kyle.  
  
"Oh, nothing, we're inventing penicillin," Maria said, airily. "That's all."  
  
"Not wanting to burst your bubble or anything, Maria, but penicillin has already been invented you know," Kyle said, his voice dry.  
  
"Not here it hasn't," laughed Maria. "So we're going to invent it, and get that fat witch Jara Kobodi off our asses."  
  
"Oh, well in that case, cool," said Kyle. "Maybe after that, you can invent Flintstone chewables or something."  
  
"Kyle, you are such a jerk," said Liz, with a laugh. "And maybe you can invent the banana split or something? Do you all want to hear the rest of my news, or not?"  
  
"Sorry, Chica, go ahead," said Maria.  
  
"It's the other project that I'm working on, the one for the Aberjani. I found some chemical compounds that will focus in strictly on one person's blood. I've only tested it on myself, but it was great. It eradicated all my blood cells on contact," Liz said, her voice excited. She looked at her friends, her eyes shining with discovery.  
  
"Liz," said Isabel. "I don't want to rain on your scientific parade or anything, but how is this a good thing? You're giving them a weapon to destroy us."  
  
"No she's not," said Zan, unexpectedly. "She can use their blood as a trigger."  
  
"Right," said Max, picking up Zan's train of thought. "Or, given enough time, she can figure out a way to mask our blood so that the chemical compound doesn't recognize it."  
  
"That's brilliant, Liz," said Alex. "And now it's time for my news. I've been assigned to the team that's building the guidance system for the Aberjani's new weapon. _And_ I got a good look at those things they use to travel back and forth to Earth."  
  
"How close a look?" Michael asked. "Could you re-create one?"  
  
"Um, I don't have too," Alex answered. He reached into his pouch and pulled out a belt similar to the belt worn by Glenarra, the Aberjani that Zan had killed in the Granolith chamber.  
  
"Hey, I've seen that, before," said Kyle. "That Aberjani chick was wearing one when she attacked us. But now that I think about it, she wasn't wearing it when we arrived here."  
  
"That's because they're programmed to self destruct if the person wearing it dies," said Alex. "This one hasn't been coded to an Aberjani yet. I, uh, I also managed to get these." He pulled a folded packet of papers out of the pouch and passed them to Che'koth. "They're the plans to build these suckers," he said. "Maybe our side can use them to their advantage or something."  
  
"These are not the originals are they?" Che'koth asked, sharply.  
  
"No," Alex said in his d'uh voice. "I'm not that stupid. I made a copy."  
  
"I did not mean to imply that you were less than intelligent, Alex" said Che'koth. "I just do not want you to put yourself in greater danger, that is all."  
  
"Okay," said Michael, in an uncharacteristic attempt to defuse an awkward situation. "We have Liz's revelations, an the stuff that Alex brought. Is there anything else? Because I for one, am dying to find out what's in those boxes over there. Weapons or something for us to use?"  
  
"No, nothing like that, I'm afraid," said Che'koth. He turned to hide his grin as he went to remove the covers from the boxes. "Just some things your parents sent up to you."  
  
"Oh my God," cried Maria, rushing over. "Peanut butter! Chicken noodle soup, saltines. Food, real food!"  
  
"Candy, chips, popcorn!" Liz took over the cry. "And tonic!" She grabbed a can of Pepsi and opened it and took a drink.  
  
"Thank you Buddha," said Kyle, reaching for a Hershey bar. "And thank you Dad," he added when he saw his favorite canned chili in the pile."  
  
"How are our parents, really, Che'koth?" asked Max. "How are they dealing with everything?"  
  
"Far better than you ever would have expected," said Che'koth. "They are not pleased at the thought of you fighting a war on another planet. But they understand that if you don't, your lives will never be your own. They were full of advice, most of which they wrote down for you. I must say, Maria, your mother was quite disturbed at first at the thought of you fighting a war, but even she came around."  
  
"Yeah, my mom was the original protest girl. Make love, not war, and all that," said Maria. "She was all about standing up for your rights," her voice trailed off.  
  
"Maria, what's the matter?" asked Ava. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine," Maria answered. "But I have an idea. It ties in with what happened in the market today. Listen up everybody, you're going to love this."


	33. Chapter 33 Make Love AND War

**Chapter Thirty – Three** – _Make love, AND war_  
  
The next morning, the student dining area was awash with quiet conversations. Students were huddled in groups examining small pieces of paper. Max listened to the various bits of conversation he overheard as he made his way to his table.  
  
"Do you think it's true?" one person asked.  
  
"It can't be. I mean, everyone saw the bodies," said another.  
  
Max sat down at his table, and looked across the room at Michael who was blatantly eavesdropping on a group of students behind him. Zan sat down next to Max, and smiled. "Look, they're everywhere." He passed Max a small square of paper that had a silver hand print on it and the words Long Live King Zan. "That Maria is pretty smart," he said. "I wouldn't have expected this to work in a million years."  
"Who would have thought that something so simple would get everyone talking?" asked Zan.  
  
"I know," said Max. "I can't wait to see what it's like at the market area today. "General Kobodi said we were going to be patrolling there today. Let's hope he hasn't checked it out first."  
  
An alarm rang throughout the student dining area, and those training for the Aberjani stood, and exited the room. They assembled in a small instruction room near the front of the Training Academy.  
  
"Today," said General Kobodi. "We will patrol the market area. Yesterday, there was an incident. I want no such incident to occur, ever again. Am I understood?"  
  
A hand went up among the warriors, and a voice called out. "General, how can we prevent such an incident from happening if we do not know what it is?"  
  
General Kobodi strode over to the speaker and punched him in the mouth. "Silence!" he shouted. "An Aberjani doesn't question. He or she simply does what they are instructed to do! Is that clear!"  
  
"Yes, General Kobodi," chanted the trainees. The General turned, and signaled for them to walk out of the room. Most of them stepped over their fallen companion, but Max and Zan watched in horror as the General stepped right on him and continued out of the room. Max bent down to heal the warrior, but Zan grabbed him and pulled him out of the room.  
  
"Are you crazy?" he asked. "Do that and it will be like pointing an arrow in our direction."  
  
"Isn't that what we want to do?" Max asked. "Let them know we're here!"  
  
"Yeah, but this is too obvious," said Zan, propelling Max out the door. "We'd be caught for sure. Damn, you are too soft hearted," he continued. "I get wanting to help him, but not at the expense of _my_ neck, thank you very much."  
  
Max jerked his arm away from Zan, and stormed out of the room. He was angry. Angry at what General Kobodi had done, angry at his inability to help the other warrior, and angriest of all at Zan for being right. He and Zan quickly caught up with the rest of the warriors, and began the march to the market area of the city. The Antarian sun rose up above the horizon, burning of the mist that had settled on the city during the night. Max looked around, eagerly, anxious to observe as much about the city as he could.  
  
It could be almost any city on Earth, with the exception of the lack of personal vehicles. He searched his memory, and found that vehicular traffic had been banned from all cities as a way of preserving the environment. Zan nudged his side, and pointed surreptitiously at the palace that rose up from the center of the city. The morning sun touched upon the spires of the palace, and he watched as a flag was unfurled. It had a red background, and Max fully expected to see the planets that comprised the Royal Seal on it, but instead it carried a symbol he didn't immediately recognize.  
  
"That's Kivar's family crest," Zan whispered. Max looked back into his memory, and knew that Zan was correct. Kivar was trying to eradicate anything that spoke of the royal family, and that included the flag of Antar that had flown over the palace for countless millennia.  
  
They walked on, both lost in thought, until a roar from General Kobodi shook both he and Zan from their respective reveries. Max looked up, and saw the market area covered in graffiti, proclaiming Zan as the real King of Antar. Another cried that Antarians should rid themselves of the pretender. Max smothered a grin. Liz, who had recently read a history of the kings of England, had thought up that particular slogan.  
  
"I want these taken down before the market opens!" shouted Kobodi. "You!" he pointed at on of the senior Aberjani. "Go to the palace, and inform Lord Kivar of what has happened. The rest of you, begin removing this vile filth!"  
  
Max and Zan split up, and Max found himself working next to Kyle. The two pulled down signs very slowly, as the market came alive. Voices whispered in hushed tones. A few workers came over and began to remove the signs. Kyle nudged Max, and he saw that instead of pulling the signs down and destroying them, they took them down carefully, and tried to hide them from the Aberjani.  
  
A sudden roar of support from the crowd caught them unaware, and they looked around to see what had caused the outburst. Max saw it first and grabbed Kyle and pointed upward. Kyle looked to where Max was pointing and smiled. A large bed sheet with a silver handprint was flying from the top of a tall tree. "You can thank Zan and yours truly for that," he said.  
  
"Well, it does explain why Zan wouldn't let me heal that kid that Kobodi punched and then stepped on," said Max. "Seriously, though, do you think this is going to do any good? I mean, I love Maria and all, but she's not usually the one to come up with the plans."  
  
"It's a good plan, Max," Kyle said. "Look around you, look at the people. They look hopeful. They want to believe it. They _NEED_ to believe it. They want their king back."  
  
"Yeah, but Kyle, I can't stay here and rule. I have a life on Earth, and I can't ask Liz to give that up. She's lost so much because of me already." Max silently thought back to all the losses Liz had suffered, especially the loss of their child. "I can't expect her to give up her life to live here."  
  
"Look Max, I think you're kind of putting the cart before the horse, you know? We're here, we put up a few signs, that's it. You're a long way from taking back the throne," Kyle said."  
  
"Aberjani!" shouted General Kobodi. "Citizens of Antar. Your Lord Kivar is here to address you!"  
  
Max turned in the direction of General Kobodi's voice. He was standing on a low rooftop, and next to him was a man who made his blood boil. Max didn't realize he was capable of such feelings of rage. Anger stirred deep inside some primordial part of him. Without realizing it, he stepped forward and raised his arm, stopping only when Kyle grabbed him and wrenched his arm back down.  
  
"Good people of Antar!" said Kivar. "Do not allow yourself to be taken in by those wishing to bring evil back to our world. We fought against the tyranny of the royal family. Finally we are free from a world of oppression!" Max shuddered as he felt Kivar's mind warp. It was worse than anything Tess had ever tried. It was insidious, and evil, pressing at the edges of his mind, trying to take hold.  
  
"Long live Lord Kivar!" shouted Max. Kyle whipped his head around and looked at him in shock, then carried on the chant.  
  
"Long live Lord Kivar! Long live Lord Kivar!" It galled Kyle to even say the words, but he knew why Max had done it. It was the one thing that would keep suspicion off of them. As he chanted, Kyle looked around. The Aberjani had taken up the cry, but many of the citizens of Antar looked like they were only paying lip service to Kivar.  
  
"I command you to remove this filth from our city!" shouted Kivar. "We will find those who have perpetrated such a heinous crime. Keep your eyes and ears opened my people. Riches will abound for any who can assist in the capture of the criminals who did this to our city!"  
  
"All hail Lord Kivar," came the shout. Max looked over and saw that this time Michael had started the chant. The Aberjani pushed forward and continued to rip down the signs that covered the market area. Max watched as Zan scaled the tree and tore down the flag he and Kyle had made only hours earlier. Max watched has Zan violently ripped the makeshift flag in half and threw it to the crowd. He smiled when he saw that an old woman caught the pieces and kissed them before stuffing them into her bag.  
  
"I think I have an idea," he said to Kyle as they removed the last two signs from a stone wall.  
  
"Hold on to that thought for a second," said Kyle. He pressed his hand against the wall, and Long Live King Zan – the True Ruler of Antar! Appeared on the wall in flaming red letters. Another roar went up, and Kyle smiled, and then began to shout. "Get that filth off of the wall! Who dares to betray our leader, Lord Kivar. Long live Lord Kivar!"  
  
"Nice touch," said Max. The crowd began to disperse as the Aberjani pressed forward, trying to find out who had defaced the wall. So, are you ready to listen to _my_ plan?"  
  
"Don't be a baby," said Kyle. "I saw an opportunity and I took it. So go ahead. What's the plan?"  
  
"Platinum, and lots of it. Kivar is laying a heavy mind warp on everybody. I had a hard time throwing it off, even with my ring on. These people don't stand a chance."  
  
"And where do you propose to get all this platinum?" asked Kyle as they lined up in formation. "And more importantly, how do you propose to get it to the people? What are you going to do, go around and propose to everyone you meet? That might make Liz a little cranky."  
  
"Shut up, Kyle. I said it was a plan. I didn't say it was a fully thought out plan," grumbled Max. They began to march back to the Training Academy, while Max tried to figure out a way to get enough platinum jewelry, and how to get it to the people of Antar.  
  
"Well, if you're interested, I kind of had a thought," said Kyle. "We never did figure out what it was about the platinum that blocked the mind warp. I mean, is it one element of it or all the chemicals that make it up all together. I was thinking, if we could figure that out, maybe we could just get that one thing and, I don't know, sprinkle it in the water supply or something."  
  
"Kyle that's a fantastic idea," said Max. "But how? I can't ask Liz to take on anything else. She's 'discovering' pennicilian, and she's working on that whole thing to not get us killed."  
  
"Don't look at me," said Kyle. "Remember, Maria and I were in the same remedial science class for three years. Wait a second, Max. Che'koth must know. Whoever wrote the destiny book knew. I mean, they put it in there. Someone here on Antar has to know how it works. We nee to talk to Che'koth about this."  
  
"See, I knew you'd figure it out, Kyle," Max said with a grin.


	34. Chapter 34 We Rock, We Roll, We Rule!

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Thirty – Four** _We Rock, We Roll, We Rule_  
  
Kyle looked at Liz, trying to contain his excitement as he laid down his idea for them to find out what in the platinum made the platinum break a mind warp. "So what do you think?" he asked. "Can you do it?"  
  
"It can't be done," Liz said. "Platinum is an element. Basically, it is what it is, in its simplest form. There is no breaking it apart into components. If there is, I can't do it." She turned to Max and pulled his head down to hers. "You know I can't do that," she whispered. "Why did you let Kyle get all excited?"  
  
"Well, it's just that he was so excited about coming up with a scientific theory," said Max. "I just didn't have the heart to shoot him down. He really put a lot of thought into it, and for someone who took remedial science, it's a pretty sound idea. Besides, after he thought of that, he did come up with a viable idea. If the information about the platinum was in the destiny book, that means someone here on Antar must know how it works. We need to find him or her, and figure out how to use it to our benefit."  
  
"You know, maybe Kyle was on to something," mused Liz, opening a jar of peanut butter. "But instead of isolating a component, maybe we just need to amplify it somehow. Of course, I don't know what _it_ is," she added.  
  
"Okay, okay, break it up," said Maria, walking into the room. "Other people are joining you, all activity of a sexual nature must hereby cease and desist. So, what's going on?" she asked, sitting down next to Liz. "Any more care packages from the parental units? Cause I'm telling you, in the next one, Mom had better send some cd's to listen to. I'm going nuts without any music."  
  
"Excuse me, I am here, there can't be anything too sexual going on unless Max and Liz are into the kinky things," said Kyle.  
  
"Maria, can you be serious," laughed Liz. "We're trying to plan here. And Kyle, don't encourage her! "  
  
"Plan, shman," said Maria. "It's time for some chicken noodle soup, and a pb&j sandwich." She jumped up and walked over to their food supply and started rummaging around. "No bread. How could they **not** send any bread? I've got my p, I've got my j, but I don't have any b."  
  
"Here, use these," said Max. He tossed Maria a package of the saltines Liz had been snacking on.  
  
"You know Max. I always thought that out of you and Michael, you were the more refined one, the one with a bit of class," said Maria. "But now I see just how wrong I was. You're a cretin. Saltines? One does not make a pb&j using saltines!"  
  
"One does if one gets hungry enough," said Max, fighting to keep the smile off his face.  
  
"Beast," said Maria with a sniff, while she opened the peanut butter. "Okay, all kidding aside, do you think we could send a list back with Che'koth next time? Because there are a few things I really need to have."  
  
"Yeah, I think so," said Max. "There are a few things I want, too, like our translations of the book and stuff."  
  
"Why, what can you find in the book that you can't find here, the home of the book?" asked Maria, her mouth full of crackers.  
  
"Look who's calling whom a cretin," said Max. "I want to find out more about the platinum, and how it throws off the mind warp," he explained. "We never did really read the entire book, we just kept going back to it to find the answers that we need."  
  
"You won't find that knowledge in the book," said Che'koth, entering from the tunnel.  
  
"Damn, we need it," said Max. "Why isn't it there? I mean, it told us that it would work, why won't it tell us how it works?"  
  
"Max, that book was not intended to be a complete set of instructions for you. When you emerged from the pods, you were supposed to have all your memories, and the knowledge you acquired on Antar intact. The ability to mind warp, belongs only to members of the royal family."  
  
"That means," Liz said slowly, "That Kivar, and that General Kobodi are both members of the royal family?"  
  
"Very distant, but members never the less," admitted Che'koth.  
  
"We were killed by members of our own family?" Max asked, incredulously.  
  
"I guess there are just some things that evolution doesn't change," said Liz. "Man's lust for power being one of them."  
  
"Buddha always says 'All beings tremble before violence. All fear death, all love life. See yourself in others. Then whom can you hurt? What harm can you do?' Maybe if the people of this planet could embrace the teachings of Buddha, they wouldn't have quite so many problems," said Kyle, eating another Hershey Bar.  
  
"Yeah, great, that's nice, Kyle. Now, shut up and keep eating, we have to think," said Maria.  
  
"So, Kivar knows how to break a mind warp then?" Max asked Che'koth.  
  
"No, that information belongs only to the king, and whoever he chose to share it with. It is passed down from ruler to ruler," explained Che'koth.  
  
"Michael!" said Maria. "Michael must know too, even if he doesn't realize it! That's why he was able to throw off Tess' mind warps without wearing platinum."  
  
"That is quite true," admitted Che'koth. "None were closer than Rath and King Zan. Max, you must search your memories. I am sure the answer is there. But it will be hard, for Zan will have buried those memories deep within."  
  
"I'll try anything," said Max. "But I still want to bring back the book translation, if you wouldn't mind," said Max. "It's in a bunch of stuff we left at Kyle's house. I'm sure Jim wouldn't mind taking you to get it."  
  
"And music," said Maria. "Bring back music. I need music in my life, and there isn't any here. At least not anything good!"  
  
"Hey," interrupted Kyle. "I have an idea. Do you remember how Tess did those memory retrieval things with Max. Well, I know what she did was just mind warp stuff, but Ava says she can really do crap like that. Maybe if she worked with Max and Michael, they'd have better luck remembering what they need to remember."  
  
"Kyle, that is a **great** idea," said Max. "I don't know why we didn't think of it before."  
  
"Well, I kind of have another idea that I hate, and you probably will too, but I'm going to say it anyhow. Maybe Zan ought to be included too. I mean, he has the same memories as you, right?"  
  
"Yeah," agreed Max. "And I'm not hating it as much as I would have even a few days ago. He's got a huge chip on his shoulder, but every once in a while, he forgets about it, and he isn't that bad."  
  
"I will make plans to return to Earth," said Che'koth, "And I will bring back the items you request. Is there anything else you will require, Majesties?"  
  
"Don't call me that," Max and Liz said together.  
  
"Now I feel horrible," said Liz. "We're treating you like an errand boy Che'koth. I'm sorry. Maybe we could wait a while before someone goes back."  
  
"Don't worry, Liz," said Che'koth. "I need to go back and make sure that our troops are well, and see if they need anything as well. Will you have time to check with the others to see if there is anything they require?"  
  
"How soon do you need to return?" asked Max.  
  
"Time is of the essence," admitted Che'koth.  
  
"Then go now," decided Max. "I assume you'll be going back and forth on a regular basis to keep track of the troops down there?"  
  
Che'koth nodded.  
  
"Fine, then we'll get the others to make a list for the next time," said Max. "Right now, the book translations are what we need. Actually, there is a whole box of what we called our alien artifacts. Bring everything back with you, okay?"  
  
"And cd's!" chimed in Maria. "Bring back anything you can lay your hands on!"  
  
"Liz, is there anything you require?" Che'koth asked, respectfully.  
  
"No, I think I'm good," said Liz. "Just give my parents my love."  
  
Che'koth nodded, bade the goodbye, and started down the tunnel.  
  
"Hey, wait!" shouted Kyle. "Can you bring back some Ho-Ho's?"


	35. Chapter 35 Isabel the Spy

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Thirty - Five** _Isabel the Spy_  
  
"Isadra, a word if you please," the instructor said, as the students filed out of the class. "I'm very pleased with the progress you have made here. Your diplomatic skills are very developed. You seem to have an insightful grasp of our diplomatic process. I'd like to recommend you for an apprenticeship with the diplomatic corp."  
  
"Oh, I, um, what would it involve?" Isabel asked. "I mean, I'm flattered that you thought of me, but I'm not sure I'm ready."  
  
"Believe me, Isadra, if I say you're ready, then you are ready. You will observe at first, and possibly run errands for the ambassadors, but as I said, your main task will be to observe. Learn how things are done. Are you interested?"  
  
"Yes, yes, I guess I am," said Isabel."  
  
"Excellent," said the instructor. "The diplomatic consul will come in to interview you later today, and if you meet with his approval, two days a week, you will observe the meetings at the palace."  
  
"Th- the palace?" asked Isabel, her voice trembling. "I don't know, I mean, the palace, I'm not sure."  
  
The instructor looked at her curiously. "Of course the palace, Isadra. Where else would the diplomatic corp be housed? You will of course, continue studying here, and be housed here as well, but as I said, two days a week, you will be allowed to travel to the palace. It is an honor for a first year student to be chosen for this task."  
  
Isabel struggled to compose herself. The thought of entering the royal palace was unnerving, and the thought of possibly seeing Kivar, scared her to death. "Thank you," she said to the instructor. What time will the interview be held?"   
  
"Directly after the midday meal. Report to this room, and you will be taken to the interview. Now, go, you have another class I believe. Relax, Isadra, I would not have recommended you for this position if I thought you would not be successful."  
  
"Thank you," said Isabel. "I will do my best to make you proud." She quickly gathered up her belongings, and rushed to her next class, all the while, thinking about her upcoming interview. She pulled the Antarian version of a notebook and pencil out of her pouch, and made a list of all the benefits of doing well on the interview. Then, she made a list of all the cons.  
  
_God, this is not helping,_ Isabel thought to herself. _I wish I could talk to Alex, or Max, or God help me, even Michael or Kyle. If it were night, I could dream walk one of them, but I don't have the luxury of waiting for bedtime._  
  
Suddenly, Isabel sat up straight, as an idea took form in her mind. She surreptitiously took off the locket she was wearing and opened it to reveal a picture of Alex on one side, and Max on the other. She placed a finger on each picture and concentrated, allowing herself to slip into the dream state that would connect her with Max and Alex.  
  
_We need to talk,_ her dream self said to the two images that appeared before her. _I need to see both of you. It's urgent. Meet me at lunch in the,_ she stopped, unsure of what to call their new meeting place. _Meet me in the eraser room._ She broke the connection and allowed herself a small smile. She wasn't sure if she was successful, but she had made an attempt, and that alone made her feel a bit better.  
  
"Isabel, what is it, what's wrong?" Alex practically shouted when she walked through the door. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Alex, I'm fine," she said. "I'm sorry if I scared you, but I needed to talk to you and Max, and it had to be now. It's important, but no, I'm not hurt or anything."  
  
"Isabel?" Max shouted, running through the door. "What happened? Are you okay?"  
  
Isabel rolled her eyes skyward, at Max's entrance. "Yes, I'm fine," she said. "Do I look hurt?"  
  
"Excuse me, but I was in the middle of weapons training, when all of a sudden, you appeared in my head, demanding a meeting. What was I to think? Of course I thought that something was wrong," Max said.  
  
"Can we all just calm down for a second," said Alex. "Max, Isabel obviously has something important to say, or else she wouldn't have risked scaring us half to death to get us down here," Alex's voice rose slightly.  
  
"Okay, listen, I'm sorry about that, but I don't have much time. I was selected to be a part of some diplomatic apprenticeship program, and I'm being interviewed right after lunch. I wasn't sure if you thought I should go through with it, or purposely tank on the interview," she explained.  
  
"Well, what is it going to involve?" asked Max.  
  
Isabel paced nervously around the small room, anxiously rubbing her hands together. "Well, mostly just observing, and playing gopher from the sounds of it," she began.  
  
"Well it sounds great," interrupted Alex.  
  
"Two days a week, at the palace," Isabel said over Alex's voice.  
  
"It's a shame you won't be able to do it," Alex continued without missing a beat. "There is no way in hell, you are going anywhere near that palace without me! Right, Max?"  
  
"You can't make this decision for me, Alex," Isabel said.  
  
"No, well, then Max can. Tell her, Max," said Alex.  
  
"I don't like it Isabel. It's too dangerous. Besides, you don't know how being back there is going to make you feel," said Max.  
  
"Right, because being on Antar has elicited so many deep feelings already," snapped Isabel.  
  
"Okay, fine, your right, being here hasn't really effected any of us, but Isabel, what happens when you see Kivar?" asked Max. "Have you thought about that?"  
  
"That's the one thing that's keeping me from doing it," said Isabel. "But think about it, both of you really think about it. How can I _not_ put myself in that position. The information I gain may be very helpful to us."  
  
"I still don't like it," Alex said, flatly. "But I'm also not stupid. I can't tell you what to do, Isabel, but I can tell you to be careful. Don't take any unnecessary risks."  
  
"Right, Alex, I'll try to stop myself from blowing that bastard up the second I see him," snapped Isabel. "Max," she said, turning to her brother. "Go away. I need to speak with my husband."  
  
"Good luck," Max said to Alex. "And go easy on him," he said to Isabel. "Liz will hurt you if you do anything to messy to him."  
  
"Good bye, Max," Alex and Isabel said together. They watched as he walked out the door, then Alex pulled Isabel into his arms and held her tightly.  
  
"You do know how much I absolutely hate the idea of this," he said to her.  
  
"And you know why I have to do it," she replied.  
  
"That doesn't mean I have to like it," Alex said. "In fact, I despise the thought of it. But yes, I understand why you have to do it. But Isabel, I want to see you every night when you get back. I need to know that you're safe. Agreed?"  
  
"Of course," Isabel answered. "Alex, if you really hate the idea, I won't do it."  
  
"Of course you will," said Alex, "And you're going to be great. You Isabel Amanda Evans Whitman, are capable of anything, and I think you are going to make one world class spy."  
  
"Thank you, Alex. Thank you for understanding why I need to do this."  
  
"Isabel, I love you. I love everything about you, and part of that everything has to do with what's going on here. You're a part of it; I'm a part of it. We all are a part of it. I'm not going to stand in your way, but I'm also going to worry like hell every second you're in the palace."  
  
"I love you, Alex," Isabel whispered. She pressed her lips against his, marveling in the passion that flowed between them. All too soon, their kiss ended, as Isabel pulled away, regretfully. "I'm sorry, I have to go. I have to go do that interview."  
  
"Be careful, Isabel, and if you need me, now you know how to contact me. I'll get to you somehow," said Alex. He watched as Isabel gathered up her belongings and rushed out the door. "Be safe, my love," he said to the empty room.


	36. Chapter 36 Zan IS the Man

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Thirty-Six** – _Zan **is** the Man_  
  
Zan paced restlessly around the small room, waiting for the others to arrive. He still wasn't sure about his place in the group. They hadn't exactly welcomed him with open arms, but then, he hadn't given them much reason to do so. They were different, that's for sure. He couldn't believe letting all those humans in on their secret, but apparently, it worked out. One thing he knew for certain, that Isabel and Michael were **nothing** like Rath and Lonnie. Where Rath and Lonnie were evil, through and through, he could sense openness and a sense of honesty that he _never_ felt from their New York counterparts. He wasn't crazy about that character that Ava hooked up with, but that may be because he didn't think anyone was good enough for his Ava.  
  
Zan completed another circuit of the room as he thought about the relationship he shared with Ava. He didn't think he was jealous of Kyle. He an Ava had discovered a long time ago that they weren't meant to be together. Maybe what he felt was a kind of big brother thing. Except, that was Michael's role.  
  
"Where do I fit in?" he asked the empty room. "What's my role within this group?"  
  
"You fit in fine," said Michael, walking through the door. "Don't worry about it, Zan. You're what Liz calls an integral part of the group. Not that I have a clue what the hell she's talking about half the time, but if Liz says it, then it must be true."  
  
"She is pretty cool, isn't she?" asked Zan. "Max did good, when he saved her."  
  
"That's not how I saw it for a very long time," said Michael. "I did everything I could to stop him from saving her, and then, I did everything I possibly could to keep them apart. I was so evil to her, but did that stop Liz? No way. She just kept pushing her way into our lives, wanting to help us, and now, I can't imagine life without her or Maria, or even Alex and Kyle. We need them, and they need us, and now, we need you too. Max always says we're stronger together than we are apart, and he's right. And Zan, that includes you, too."  
  
Zan looked at Michael in amazement. He didn't think he had ever heard Michael string so many words together at one time.  
  
"Great, so Liz thinks I'm in, but what about the rest of you?" Zan asked, his heart in his throat.  
  
"Hey, now that I know you're not trying to stalk us or kill us, or whatever, I'm cool," said Michael. "I know Max is a bit freaked, but only because of the whole looking in the mirror thing. I was the same when I saw Rath. Isabel's okay with you too, she says any guy that wears Armani like you do has to be okay."  
  
"Antar's princess makes her decisions based upon the person's wardrobe?" Zan asked, trying to contain his laughter and failing.  
  
"Yeah, don't ask, it works for her," said Michael. "Logic abounds in Isabel land. And as long as Isabel is cool with you, Alex is too, but don't piss of Isabel, because Alex will kill you without a second thought," continued Michael.  
  
"He doesn't really seem like the type," answered Zan.  
  
"Yeah, and that's why he's so dangerous," said Michael. "He got dragged kicking and screaming into the whole alien adventure we called our lives. Max and Liz got into a car accident, and they wanted to test Max's blood. Liz got Alex to give us a sample of his blood, but it caused some really hard feeling between them, because she wouldn't tell him why."  
  
"And he did it anyhow?" Zan asked, amazed. The loyalty between these people amazed him at times.  
  
"Yeah, but it was a long time before Liz finally told him what was going on, and even then, he didn't really believe her, but he believed that she believed, and that was good enough for him," Michael explained.  
  
"Incredible," said Zan, shaking his head. "What about Valenti," he asked.  
  
"Oh, Kyle hates you," said Michael. "But only because of Max."  
  
"That makes all the sense in the world," said Zan.  
  
"Sit down, will you," said Michael. "All that pacing is making me nervous. "Look, Kyle and Liz were dating when Liz got shot. Max saved Liz, they connected, and Kyle lost Liz to Max. He gets over it, falls in love with Ava, and you show up, a Max look alike with, and you already have a history with Ava. He's nervous."  
  
"Yeah, but Ava's like my sister, man. Why doesn't he get that?" Zan asked.  
  
"Look, on some level, he gets it. Don't worry; Kyle's got your back. If you're in trouble, he'll be the first one there to help you. He's cool, much as it pains me to say it."  
  
"You don't like him?" Zan asked Michael, curiously.  
  
"Not at first," admitted Michael. "I couldn't stand him. It's taken a while, but I know I can count on Kyle, and he knows he can count on me."  
  
"Amazing," said Zan. "The whole freaking crew of you is amazing. You let humans in on your secret. You save them, turn them alien some how, and marry them. It's freaking bizarre."  
  
"Yeah, we may be bizarre, but I didn't notice you just standing there and letting that Aberjani kill Max in the Granolith Chamber. You saved his ass down there, and from where I stand, it probably would have been easier on you all around if you had let him die," said Michael.  
  
"Yeah, well, whatever," said Zan, clearly uncomfortable with Michael's revelation. "It's not important, but I do have something important I want to talk about. I think we need to have one of your never ending, mind numbing meetings."  
  
"Yeah, what about?" said Michael, his interest piqued.  
  
"I," began Zan, only to be interrupted by Isabel dancing through the door, laughing in delight.  
  
"I did it, I did it, I did it," she sang. She stopped suddenly and looked around the room. "Oh, I thought I was alone," she said, her face flushing a becoming shade of red.  
  
"Nice dance, Iz," said Michael. "I take it this means you were successful in your meeting?"  
  
"Max told you?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah, he told us," answered Zan, "And that's kind of what I want to talk to everyone about. But I really think we ought to wait until everybody is here. This may be kind of important."  
  
"Well, Alex and Max will be down here in a little while, and I bet Maria and Liz and Kyle will too, on their never ending quest for food that tastes good," said Isabel. "So that means Ava will be with them. Voila, instant meeting!"  
  
As if she summoned them, Max and Liz, along with all the others entered the small room, talking rapidly. Max sat in a chair, and pulled Liz onto his lap. Maria kissed Michael, quickly, and then joined Kyle over by the stash of food, rummaging around for something to eat. Alex ignored everybody, with the exception of Isabel. He walked over to where she stood, and took her in his arms and hugged her tightly.  
  
"How'd it go?" he asked. "I was so worried about you all day."  
  
"It went great," said Isabel, proudly. "I'm in. It couldn't have gone any better if I had planned it."  
  
"That's what has me worried," said Zan, raising his voice to carry over the various conversations in the room. The room quieted almost instantly, and everyone stared at Zan, varying degrees of shock on their faces at the sound of his pronouncement.  
  
"What's up?" Max asked. Liz slid off of his lap, and he stood up and crossed the room to stand next to Zan. "You think there's a problem?"  
  
"Yeah, actually, I do. Ever since we've arrived her," said Zan. "Things have gone almost too well for us."  
  
"Like what?" asked a now curious Maria.  
  
"Well, we all got into our programs of study," said Zan. Then the four of us," he pointed at Michael, Max, Kyle and himself, "Got chosen to join the Aberjani training program, the group we're here to destroy. Liz was chosen to work on a special project for the Aberjani, and then Ava and Maria are assigned to work with Liz. Then we find out that Alex is going to be working on another aspect of Liz's Aberjani project, and now, Isabel is chosen to be a part of a diplomatic apprenticeship program in the palace. It's all too easy. I think we have to step back and take a look at the big picture. Someone is playing us, and we could all be in danger!"  
  
Everyone began to speak at once, filling the room with a cacophony of sound. Suddenly, a piercing whistle silenced everybody. Ava jumped up on a table, and waited, to make sure that everyone was paying attention.  
  
"Zan's got a point," she said. "Now, I'd like to think that we've achieved all these things on our own, because we are exceedingly smart, but I don't think so. I think we're being manipulated."  
  
"Astute observations, my young friends," Che'koth said from the tunnel. "And not entirely incorrect."


	37. Chapter 37 Secrets and Lies

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Thirty-Seven** _Secrets and Lies_  
  
"You're really one for the big entrances, aren't you, Che'koth?" Michael said, calmly. "Now, before everybody, myself included has a giant freak out, why don't you tell us what you're talking about."  
  
"Listen to mister calm, cool and collected," Maria whispered to Liz, Ava and Isabel. "I bet you if someone were to sneak up and grab him, he'd,"  
  
"Blow them up," finished Liz with a smile. "Right, like you want to freak Michael out? You know how his powers get." The four girls shook with silent laughter, and tried to calm down to listen to whatever ominous warning Che'koth had brought.  
  
"You are right about the manipulation," said Che'koth, setting a large bundle down on the floor. "Zan, you lack the trust that the others have. You are wise to question the ease in which you have attained so much in such a short time. However your trust has not been misplaced. There has been manipulation, but it has been done on your behalf. Liz being chosen to work on the special project, and being paired with Maria and Ava was set up by Plash Nevenia. And Isabel being one of the students chosen to interview was also arranged by a member of the resistance who is on staff here. However, she will either be accepted to the program on her own merits, or not. We have no control over that. We also could not have arranged for the four of you," he pointed at Max, Zan, Michael and Kyle, "To be chosen for the Aberjani was something you accomplished on your own."  
  
"So what you're saying then, is that they," Liz pointed to the four guys, "Are capable of accomplishing great things on their own, be we need our hands held to get anything done?" She shot a wink at Maria, and tried to keep a serious face as she posed her question to Che'koth.  
  
"No, Majesty, that is not what I meant," said Che'koth, clearly flustered by Liz's comment. "Nobody helped you with the project you are working on, any success is yours, and yours alone."  
  
"Right," said Maria, drawing out the word, slowly. "And I suppose Ava and I are simply here for decoration?"  
  
"No, I, that is," Che'koth said, wildly, turning to face Maria. The room exploded with laughter, and Liz hugged Che'koth.  
  
"Gotcha," she said. "That couldn't have worked out better if we had planned it."  
  
"You arrogant little whelps," said Che'koth with a smile. "I ought to put each and every one of you over my knee. I believe that is the correct Earth expression."  
  
"You would dare to spank the royal bootay?" asked Maria. "I think not."  
  
Again the room filled with laughter, and each one of them, reveled in the sound, and the relaxed feeling it engendered in each of them. Max turned to Zan and clapped him on the shoulder.  
  
"You were right to be worried, and to question, Zan. You don't know us, you don't know Che'koth, and you are right, everything was coming too easy. We've had the luxury of dealing with Che'koth already, and we knew he'd do anything he could to smooth our path."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, enough of the boring stuff," said Maria. "Whatcha got in the bundle, Che'koth?"  
  
Leave it to Maria to cut right to the chase," said Michael.  
  
"Actually, you're parents had already started a collection of items to send back with you," said Che'koth. "And Kyle's father has decided to check the pod chamber on a daily basis, and we've agreed that he will leave items for you there, as well as pick up the things I bring back to the soldiers that are guarding your families."  
  
"Hot damn!" shouted Maria. "Give me my music."  
  
"About that," Che'koth said, hesitantly. "I'm afraid we have a bit of a problem."  
  
"Problem?" asked Maria. "Exactly what do you mean, we have a problem. Either you brought me some music, or you didn't. If you did, we don't have any problems, and if you didn't, _WE_ still don't have a problem, Che'koth. _YOU_ have a problem. One thing, one simple little thing, that's all I asked for, and are you going to stand there and tell me that you couldn't bring me back a few freaking cd's?" By now, Maria wasn't talking, she was shouting, louder than anyone, including Michael, had ever heard her shout.  
  
"Maria, what's wrong?" Michael shouted, pulling her into his arms. "Tell me what's wrong, and I'll fix it." He rubbed Maria's back ineffectually as he tried to soothe her. "It's okay," he said, moving his hand up and stroking the back of Maria's head as her tears moved to slow sobs. "Maria, talk to me." He looked over Maria's head, panicked by her outburst, and unsure of what to do next.  
  
"I- I just hate it here," Maria sobbed. "I never get to see you, and that woman is always criticizing me, and telling me how hopeless and worthless I am."  
  
"What woman?" Michael asked, his voice hard. "Because I'm going to kill her, right now."  
  
"Jara Kobodi," Ava said, softly. "And for some reason, she seems to take great pleasure in constantly deriding both Maria and myself. It's almost as if it's become her soul purpose in life."  
  
"She's a vile, evil, bitch, and I'd kill her myself in a second if it wasn't going to put everyone in jeopardy," sniffled Maria. "I just thought that maybe, if I had some music or something to listen to, it would, oh I don't know, relax or something, and now Che'koth is saying that he didn't bring me any. I know in the grand scheme of things, it isn't important, but I really wanted my music."  
  
"Jara Kobodi is a horrible woman," agreed Che'koth. "But Maria, you are right, you can't kill her, but I promise you this, if the opportune time ever does arise, I will personally paint a target on her and hold her still, just for you."  
  
"Are you saying I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, Che'koth?" Maria asked with a watery smile.  
  
"No, and believe me, she is as wide as some of your Earth barns, isn't she?" asked Che'koth. "Now Maria, I believe you misunderstood me, before. What I was trying to tell you is that I was unable to get any of _your_ music, but Kyle's father sent you everything he had in his truck, even though he wasn't sure it was to your liking. He also asked me to bring you this." Che'koth withdrew from the small room and went back into the tunnel. When he returned, he was carrying an old guitar. "Kyle's father already had this in his truck for me to bring back to you. He said you would need this to feed your soul, as much as the food he sent would feed your body."  
  
"Oh Che'koth, I'm so ashamed," said Maria, taking the guitar into her hands and caressing it lovingly. She sat down, and immediately began to strum the guitar, and hum softly.  
  
While Maria played, and Che'koth unloaded the rest of his bounty, Michael pulled Max and Alex aside.  
  
"I think we need to send Maria back," he said. "This is too much for her, and I don't want to put her to have to go through it."  
  
"Maria's tougher than you think," said Alex. "Not to mention the fact that she'll kill you if you try and send her back."  
  
"Yeah, I know, that's why I was hoping one of you could talk to her instead, and convince her that she should leave," said Michael.  
  
"Are you insane?" Alex asked, his voice rising slightly with shock. "No way, no freaking way. I'd rather punch you in the mouth again."  
  
"You punched him in the mouth?" Zan asked, walking over and joining the conversation. "Why?"  
  
"He was cheating on Maria," said Alex.  
  
"I was not cheating on Maria," Michael said. "I keep telling everyone, Courtney was a Michael worshiper."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I know," said Alex. "There was this skin that had a thing for him, and I though he was cheating on Maria with her, so I decked him."  
  
"Was this before, or after you got your powers?" asked Zan.  
  
"Before," Max, Alex and Michael all answered.  
  
"Man, you got guts," said Zan.  
  
"Yeah, but not enough to tell Maria that Michael things she should go back to Earth," said Alex.  
  
"Max, will you do it?" Michael asked, imploringly.  
  
"No way in hell am I going down that path," said Max.  
  
"Zan?" Michael asked hopefully.  
  
"Not a chance, besides," he said, pointing at Maria, who was now laughing at some cd's Kyle was showing her. "I think she's going to be okay."  
  
Michael went to sit next to Maria, and took the cd out of her hand. "The Kit-Shickers?" he asked. "Who the hell are they?"  
  
"Sad as it is for me to admit," said Kyle. "It's my dad's band. He and some friends formed it our last year in high school. I can't believe they spent money to make a cd."  
  
"Yeah, well, we won't hold it against you, Valenti," said Michael. He tossed the cd into a pile and looked at Maria.  
  
"You okay?" he asked, softly.  
  
"Yeah," she replied. "And I'm not going back, so don't even say it."  
  
"How'd you know?" Michael asked, his voice tinged with shock.  
  
"You don't do clandestine very well," said Maria. "Hey!" she shouted to the room in general. "We don't have a cd player."  
  
"I can fix that," said Isabel. She took a cd and held it in her hand, and the room filled with music.  
  
"Cool, I like Pat Benatar," said Maria. "Can you show me how to do that, Isabel? Cause if you're going to be all ambassador in training like, I don't think you'll have too much time to play music for me."  
  
"It's not hard," said Isabel. She explained to Maria how she used her powers to get the music to play, and in a few minutes, Maria had mastered the skill.  
  
"Aren't you worried about going into the palace, Isabel?" Liz asked softly, so that nobody else could hear.  
  
"Terrified, and don't you dare tell Alex," Isabel admitted. "I've purposely kept myself from tapping into Vilondra's memories, but I'm worried that once I'm in there, surrounded by everything she knew they'll all come rushing back."  
  
"Promise me that if it gets to be too much, you'll pull out?" asked Liz. "I'm sure Che'koth and all of his connections could find some way of getting you out of the program."  
  
"It's not going to be too much," said Isabel, her voice suddenly resolute. "I'm not going to let it be too much. Kivar killed my family, and he's going to pay for that."  
  
"Kivar killed the royal family, Isabel," Liz said, gently. "Your family is right here. Don't forget that."  
  
"It's almost time for lights out," said Max, moving over next to Liz. "We need to get back."  
  
One by one, they bid Che'koth a good night, and thanked him for the food and other things he brought back with him. Maria hugged him, and whispered something in his ear, and he nodded slightly. "You guys go on ahead," Maria said. "I just have a couple of things my mom sent that I need to get together."  
  
"Want me to wait and walk with you?" Ava asked.  
  
"No, thanks, Ava," Maria said with a smile. "I'll be okay. I'll see you in the morning, okay."  
  
"Maria, you coming?" Michael asked, hanging back by the door.  
  
"I'll be there in a minute, Guerin. Go on ahead without me. I promise, I'll be okay," said Maria as she made a shooing motion with her hands. She waited until everyone was gone before she turned to Che'koth.  
  
"Okay," she said. "This is what I want to do." She quickly explained her plan, and waited while Che'koth thought about it. "Do you think we can do it?"  
  
"Are you sure about this, Maria?" he asked. "It could be very dangerous."  
  
"Yes I'm sure, but what I want to know is do you think it will work?"  
  
"Not only do I think it will work, I think it's brilliant," said Che'koth.  
  
"Okay then, lets stop talking, and get to work."


	38. Chapter 38 What Isabel Saw

**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Thirty-Eight** – _What Isabel Saw_  
  
Isabel walked through the city, enjoying the time away from her studies. As she walked, she hummed one of the tunes Maria played on her guitar the night before.  
  
_Being here is so strange,_ she thought to herself. _In so many ways, it's no different than being on Earth. People work, the live, they love, they _She continued walking, watching as the palace loomed higher and higher above her, the closer she got.  
_You know,_ she giggled to herself. _It kind of looks a little like the Emerald City in The Wizard of Oz. Except for the green color that is._  
  
Isabel paused to look at the list of detailed instructions she had been given.  
  
"Go through the main gate, show your badge and wait. Somebody will escort you to the Ambassador's quarters. Do not engage the guards in any other conversation. As you know from your studies, it is considered unseemly for the Royal Guard to consort with people while on duty."  
  
Isabel grimaced at the note and crumpled it up and stuffed it into her pocket. She wasn't stupid, and she didn't need to be reminded of the proper way to act. She glanced at a nearby store, and stopped while her brain tried to make sense of what she saw on the window. A poster with a large silver handprint was taped to the outside of the window and scrawled beneath the handprint in red was the phrase 'We can't afford to be innocent.'  
  
The phrase tickled the back of Isabel's mind, but she wasn't able to place it. She shrugged her shoulders and continued her walk to the palace. As she walked, Isabel paid closer attention to the sites of the city that her former self had called home. It wasn't dissimilar to Roswell, in that there were residential, and commercial areas. And where Roswell had the park where she had presided over so many Christmas festivities, Antar had the central market place where people gathered.  
  
As she walked, Isabel noticed more and more people leaving the buildings, and making there way to the central market area.  
  
_Damn,_ she thought to herself. _I hope this isn't another protest like the one Liz got stuck in._ She increased her pace, and kept close to the buildings, when she spied another sign, this one stuck to a statue of Kivar. Unwillingly, she found herself crossing the road to get a closer look at it. This sign has the orb symbol that was on the communicators, and underneath it was a message as cryptic as the one on the first sign. "Stand up and face the enemy," she read.  
  
She quickly crossed away from the sign and continued her journey to the palace as she mulled over the two phrases.  
_We can't afford to be innocent. Stand up and face the enemy,_ went through her brain like the refrain from a song.  
  
"A song," she said out loud. "Oh my God, that's it, it's a song. Damn it, Maria. A little warning would have been nice." She fought back a grin that threatened to spread across her face. _Actually,_ she thought. _It's a great idea. Way to go Maria!_  
  
Michael smothered a yawn as he carried his plate of food across the dining area, looking for a place to sit. He looked around and spied Kyle, sitting in a corner, a disturbed look on his face. Michael sighed to himself and walked over to where Kyle sat, wondering what had happened to put that worried expression on Kyle's face.  
  
"Hey, man, what's up?" Michael asked, placing his plate on the table, and sitting down next to Kyle.  
  
"Hey," Kyle responded, pushing his food around on his plate, apathetically.  
  
"Kyle, snap out of it," said Michael. "What's wrong with you? Is breakfast that disgusting?"  
  
"Hmm, oh, no," Kyle replied, a distractedly. "N'ah, I've got a Pop Tart in my pocket."  
  
"So what's the problem then?" asked Michael, shoveling food into his mouth at a prodigious rate.  
  
"God, you are disgusting, Guerin," Kyle said, watching Michael eat. "The _problem,_ is that evil witch that is persecuting Maria.  
  
"Yeah, what about her?" asked Michael.  
  
"Well, she isn't just making Maria miserable, she's also making Ava miserable, and it got me thinking," Kyle explained. "Do you think she's doing it because she's on to us somehow?"  
  
Michael stopped chewing as he pondered the ramifications of Kyle's thoughts.  
  
"No, that can't be it," said Michael. "Think about who she is, and who her husband is. She would have done something more than just be nasty to them if she knew who they were. I guess she's just a bitch with a hair across her ass."  
  
"Who's a bitch with a hair across their ass?" asked Alex, sitting down across from Michael.  
  
"That teacher Maria and Ava are saddled with," said Michael. "Kyle was wondering if maybe she had an inkling of who they really were."  
  
"Damn," said Alex. "I never thought of that. I bet if you had told Maria that, she would have been more than willing to go back home."  
  
"You told Maria to go back home?" Kyle asked, incredulously. "Are you insane."  
  
"No," Michael said, self-righteously. "I didn't"  
  
"He didn't, because he was afraid to," Alex interjected. "He tried to get one of us to do it for him, but he soon found out, none of us, including Zan were that stupid."  
  
"Listen, I was wondering if anybody knew what this is," said Alex. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper and passed it to Kyle and Michael.  
  
"We can't afford to be innocent," read Michael from the paper. "Stand up and face the enemy." He looked up at Alex and over to Kyle. "Never saw it before in my life. Why?"  
  
"They're up all over school. I was wondering if either one of you did it," said Alex.  
  
"Did it, did what?" asked Michael, clearly frustrated. "None of us have done anything since we put those banners up in the market place."  
  
"Well, one of us has done something, and I'll give you three guess who it is," said Alex, a knowing smirk on his face.  
  
"Don't tell me," said Michael, rubbing his forehead.  
  
"It's Maria," said Kyle, with a smile. "Guess she's not letting the evil teacher get to her too much, after all."  
  
"No way," Michael said, emphatically. "Maria wouldn't do something like this without talking to somebody first."  
  
Alex and Kyle both stared at Michael, looking at him like he had grown horns, or was speaking in a foreign language.  
  
"Ah, this is _Maria_ we're talking about, right?" asked Alex. "Maria who totally took over my band, Maria of the world famous Aqua bra. _That_ Maria?"  
  
"Yeah," added Kyle. "The Maria who put not one, not two, but three giant wads of chewed up bubble gum in Pam Troy's hair. The one who drove to Texas with you, rather than let you take her mother's care. Remember her?"  
  
"Damn," said Michael, his voice coming out with a whoosh. "Okay, Mister Know – it – alls, what is this all about?"  
  
"Actually, it should be Misters Know – it – all," said Alex. And you know, I think I'm just going to let Maria tell you about it herself." He got up and left the table quickly.  
  
"What the hell is his problem?" Michael asked, angrily. As he spoke, the contents of his plate splattered up to hit him in the face.  
  
"Looks like you need to work on the control, bud," said Kyle. "If you want to borrow any of my books on Eastern Philosophy, let me know. I'll have my dad send them up." He stood up, ready to beat a hasty retreat.  
  
"I do not need any of your stupid Buddha books," snapped Michael.  
  
"Right," said Kyle with a pointed glance. Michael looked down at his plate, where Kyle was staring and saw that his eating utensils had fused themselves to his plate.  
  
Isabel sat in the diplomatic waiting area, and surveyed her surroundings from her seat. Nothing in the room looked familiar to her. She was slightly disappointed that nothing she had seen since she entered the palace stirred even the smallest memory. She toyed with the idea of tapping into Vilondra's memories, but she still resisted. That was one Pandora's box she did not want to open.  
  
"Come!" said the Ambassador, entering the room. "We are to meet with a party from a neighboring planet, immediately. They are waiting for us in the Great Hall."  
  
"Certainly," said Isabel, rising gracefully from her chair. "Is there anything you wish me to attend to during the meeting?"  
  
"No, no, not today," said Ambassador Gara. For now you observe, soon though, we will make you work." He paused to smile at Isabel. "Do not worry, you will be fine. I was very impressed during your interview. You possess a maturity that few people your age possess."  
  
"Thank you," said Isabel. She followed him through the numerous hallways, do the arched doorway that lead to the Great Hall. She waited, and allowed the Ambassador to enter first, and then followed close behind. Ambassador Gara introduced himself to the visiting dignitaries, and was about to introduce Isabel, when a fanfare signaled the arrival of Kivar. Isabel turned expectantly, anxious to see the man who stole her brother's throne in person.  
  
There was a flurry of activity on the throne, and Isabel looked in the direction of the throne to see Kivar, and another person, a woman, seated side by side. She moved slightly, anxious to get a better look. The people in front of her shifted, and Isabel looked, and quickly put her hand to her mouth in an effort to stifle the scream that threatened to explode. There, sitting on the throne, next to Kivar, was a replica of Vilondra, complete with long flowing hair.


	39. 39 Mirror Image

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Thirty-Nine** – _Mirror Image_  
  
Isabel whimpered softly, staring at the woman on the throne beside Kivar. Her hair was long and blond, curling softly about her shoulders; similar to the style Isabel had worn in high school. She wore a dress of sky blue, with an empire waist, and gold braid decorating the bodice.  
  
"Isadra, what is wrong?" questioned the Ambassador.  
  
"N-nothing," Isabel whispered. "I was just feeling a bit overwhelmed. I don't know what I expected, but this is a bit awe inspiring."  
  
"It's meant to be," said the Ambassador. "There is nothing wrong with engendering a feeling of awe in those you are trying to impress, or conquer. Would you like to meet Lord Kivar now, Isadra?" the Ambassador asked.  
  
"Ah, no, not now," Isabel said, trying to keep the panic out of her voice. She lifted a hand up to her hair, and slightly changed the hue to an even darker shade, then she rubbed her nose, altering its shape slightly. "No, I don't wish to disturb Lord Kivar," she added.  
  
"Nonsense," said the Ambassador. "He is always delighted to meet an up and coming member of the diplomatic corp. Also, this will give him an opportunity to show off his beloved bride, Vilondra. She has been gone for so long doing diplomatic work for Lord Kivar."  
  
"Th-that must have been very difficult for them," Isabel said, mechanically, while she pondered the words of the Ambassador. She turned slightly to allow herself a better view of the throne while ideas spun through her mind. "How long was she gone, Ambassador?" Isabel asked. "I'm sure I know, but all intelligent thought has just flown from my head." She smiled, and looked at the Ambassador like he was the Antarian version of God's gift to women.  
  
"Don't worry, my Dear," said the Ambassador, patting her gently on the arm. "Being in the presence of such a commanding figure as Lord Kivar, is enough to befuddle even the soundest of minds."  
  
"Oh, I don't think it's him that's causing me to become so flighty," she smiled at him, and lowered one eye, suggestively. _Oh God,_ she thought, _I'm going to make myself sick._  
  
The Ambassador tried to straighten his aged body, and pulled in his stomach. He was flattered that such a beautiful young creature such as Isadra was showing an interest in him.  
  
"Vilondra has gone for just over five years," he told Isabel. "She was away when a King Zan went insane. He had taxed our people so badly that they could barely survive. Rath, his second in command ordered the beating of anyone who dared to question any of Zan's policies."  
  
"There was an uprising in the city, and the palace was stormed. They breached all the security systems. With so many people, the king was powerless against them. They killed him, and his second in command, and left their bodies in the courtyard for all to see. Lord Kivar finally managed to quell the rebellion. He then went to Vilondra and told her of the uprising that robbed her of her family. When he returned, it was to announce that they had married, and that Vilondra was going to act as an Ambassador on a neighboring planet, while she dealt with her grief at losing her family."  
  
"That's right," said Isabel. "I remember. I can't believe I forgot the tragedy that poor woman has suffered. It's so sad," she feigned a sniff, and dabbed at a non-existent tear. "If you'd excuse me for just a moment," she added. "I'll be back in just a moment."  
  
"Of course, dear," said he Ambassador, patting her gently on the shoulder. "You take your time. I'll wait right her for you."  
  
Isabel walked slowly out of the Great Hall, trying not to draw any attention to herself. She found a small room, and ducked inside and locked the door behind her, ensuring that she had some privacy.  
  
"If he mind warped them, we can undo it, I know we can," she said out loud. She sat down in a nearby chair, and reached for the locket around her neck, when she remembered Liz's story about what happened in the market place. "Those people knew the truth, and Liz said Kivar talked to them about the evil tyranny of the royal family. So which is it, was there a rebellion, or did he overthrow the royal family, and murder us all?"  
  
Isabel slumped in the chair, saddened by the realization that the only way to find out the truth was to access the memories of the first Vilondra.  
  
"Let me out of here!" Vilondra shouted, banging on the door. "I am your Princess, and I command you to release me!"  
  
"Really, Vilondra," said Kivar, as the door opened. "What would your loyal subjects say, hearing you talk like a common piece of trash?"  
  
"You are insane if you thing this stupid plan of yours is going to work!" she shouted. "The people of Antar **LOVE** the royal family. They would never believe the horrible lies that you are telling them."  
  
"You stupid bastard, the bodies of my brother, and his best friend are in the courtyard. People have seen that, they _know_ what happened," shouted Vilondra.  
  
"No, Vilondra, you're wrong. For years, I've had spies working throughout the city, stirring up unrest against the royal family. I've been stealing from the royal treasury, and instituting new taxes to make up for it. And the beauty of it is, your stupid brother was too involved in his little dreams of a better Antar, to even notice. He wanted to make too many changes, too fast. It was so easy to create a feeling of unrest. I would have been foolish not to capitalize on it."  
  
"Capitalize on it," spat Isabel. "You bastard, you created it. But I'm going to end it, right here. She raised her hand to shoot an energy bolt at Kivar, but he was too quick, and he struck her with his own bolt, killing her instantly.  
  
"Pity," he said, looking at her charred body. "I needed her. But no worry, I can work around that." He shot another bolt at the body, causing it to burst into flames and disintegrate into a pile of ash.  
  
Isabel sat upright in the chair, pulling herself from the memories of Vilondra. Beads of sweat dotting her forehead, and pooled above her upper lip. She tried to stand, but her shaking limbs wouldn't support her. She collapsed back into the chair, and began to weep.


	40. 40 Weather the Storm

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Forty** – _Weather the Storm_  
  
"Something's wrong," Alex said, pushing his unappetizing food around on his plate.  
  
"I take it when you say something's wrong, you mean something besides the food," said Kyle, setting his plate down across from his friend. He reached into his pocket, and pulled out a strip of beef jerky. "Want some?"  
  
"Man, no," said Alex in disgust. "That stuff is as disgusting as this crap. What are you doing here, anyhow? I thought you guys were playing GI Joe or something."  
  
"We are, but after you get killed, you get to come in for lunch. I got killed, so here I am," smiled Kyle.  
  
"I'm glad you can be so cheerful right now, with everything that's going on?"  
  
"Relax, will you," said Kyle.  
  
"I can't," Alex said softly. "I just know that something's wrong."  
  
"How?" asked Kyle. "Did she contact you or something?"  
  
"No, she didn't," Alex said. "But I just have this feeling, you know? She's afraid, and she hurts, and there isn't anything I can do about it." Alex banged his fist on the table in frustration, causing the people sitting nearby to stare.  
  
"Calm down, Alex," Kyle said. He looked around, and glared at several of the students who were still watching their table to see what would happen next. "The last thing any of us need it to draw any unnecessary attention to ourselves."  
  
"Sorry," said Alex. "It's just that I feel helpless. She's in there, with that monster, and I can't do a thing about it."  
  
"You got that right," muttered Kyle. "He is a monster."  
  
"Yeah, what do you know about it?" Alex asked, almost belligerently. "It's not like you were here before. You don't know what Kivar is capable of."  
  
"Yeah well, you're wrong," said Kyle. "I do know, and it's killing me. I saw what he did to Ava, and it was horrible."  
  
"What do you mean, you saw?" asked Alex. "Don't you mean Ava told you?"  
  
"No, I mean I saw. Ava won't even access the memories of her other self. Neither will Zan, Max or Michael. They don't want to know what happened to them, and I can't say that I blame them."  
  
"Then how do you know?" asked Alex, clearly perplexed.  
  
"I talked to Che'koth about it a little," explained Kyle. "When it was my turn to do that memory thing, it seems as though there was a small power surge, and I got access to the memories of the royal four."  
  
"Wow," said a speechless Alex.  
  
"Yeah, some wow," said Kyle. "Before I really understood what was going on, I saw what happened to Ava, so don't tell me I'm not capable of knowing what that bastard can do. I know better than anyone else what he can do."  
  
"Then tell me," said Alex. "Is Isabel in danger?"  
  
"Yeah. Yeah, she is," said Kyle, his voice grim.  
  
Michael dived under a hail of energy bolts and rolled under a low ledge and tried to catch his breath.  
  
"Damn," he said out loud. "If I didn't know any better, I'd swear those were live energy bolts." He took a breath, and clambered out from under the ledge and ran for the cover provided by a small stand of trees.  
  
"Hey," a disembodied voice said. Michael whipped around and found Zan standing behind him. "If I were the enemy, you'd be dead now."  
  
"Yeah, so sue me," said Michael. "Or better yet, kill me so I can go into lunch. I'm starving. Kyle had the right idea, getting killed so early."  
  
"I don't know," said Zan, firing an energy bolt at an approaching enemy soldier. "Kyle was kind of freaked. He wouldn't give me any details, but he said Alex was upset, and something was wrong with Isabel. He told me he wanted to get inside with Alex and make sure he was okay."  
  
"What's up with him?" asked Michael, dodging an energy bolt. "The other day, he told me not to worry so much about Maria, that she'd be okay. Is he turning into a psychic or something?"  
  
"I don't now," said a clearly exasperated Zan. "Look can we deal with this another time, we're kind of surrounded on all sides right now."  
  
"Shit, how the hell did that happen?" asked Michael as he fired energy bolts at the oncoming enemy soldiers. "Why the fuck aren't these guys dying!" he shouted in frustration. Michael spun around and saw a soldier creeping up on Zan.  
  
"Look out!" Michael cried. He threw himself into the air, knocking Zan to the ground, getting struck by a mock energy bolt in the process.  
  
Michael pulled himself into a sitting position, noting the flashing badge on his chest. "Yeah, yeah, I know," he said, addressing the badge. "I'm dead. I get it. You can stop flashing now."  
  
Zan reached down and grabbed Michael's arm and pulled him to a standing position. "What the hell did you do that for?" he demanded. "You'd still be alive if you hadn't tried to play hero."  
  
"Shut up," grumbled Michael. "I don't know why I did it." He stormed off out of the stand of trees towards the school."  
  
"Stupid shit," said Zan, watching Michael walk away. He shrugged his shoulders and began firing at the approaching soldiers, all thoughts of Michael, and his sacrifice, quickly fading from his mind.  
  
"Interesting," said General Kobodi, standing in front of the observation screen. "Very interesting."  
  
"Lord Kivar," said the Ambassador. "Allow me to present our newest recruit from the Training Academy, Isadra Mylinga. Isadra, please greet Lord Kivar, and Queen Vilondra," instructed the Ambassador.  
  
Isabel blanched, but forced herself to greet the monster that had killed her. "Greetings Lord Kivar," she said. "It is an honor to make the acquaintance of both you, and your lovely Queen." She bowed down low first to Kivar, and then to the woman standing next to him.  
  
"The Ambassador speaks very highly of you," said Kivar, inclining his head in Isabel's direction. "If he thinks you are an asset to our diplomatic corp, it is a high honor indeed."  
  
"Thank you, Lord Kivar. I will do my best not to disappoint him," murmured Isabel, keeping her eyes downcast.  
  
"Good day to you," said Kivar, walking away. Isabel watched as he walked away, her doppelganger trailing along behind him.  
  
"Well, what did you think, Isadra?" the Ambassador asked.  
  
"Think about what?" she asked, stalling for time.  
  
"Don't be obtuse, Isadra," snapped the Ambassador. "I expect better from you. "What did you think of Lord Kivar, and Queen Vilondra?"  
  
Isabel hurriedly combed through the memories that filled her head, looking for the perfect wording to answer the ambassador's question.  
  
"I think Lord Kivar is a very strong man who will do whatever it takes to ensure his vision for Antar," said Isabel.  
  
"Excellent," said the Ambassador with a grin. "Isadra, you will do very well in the diplomatic corp. You managed to answer my question, without allowing a single iota of your feelings to creep into the answer. Your answer was vague without being wishy-washy. Yes, indeed, I have chosen very well."  
  
Isabel smiled at the Ambassador, while her eyes remained on Kivar as he made his way back to his throne, the Queen, ever silent, trailing along behind him.


	41. Chapter 41 Score One For Our Side

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Forty-One** – _Score One For Our Side_  
  
Maria sat doodling, while Jara Kobodi lectured the class. The memory implant done by Che'koth meant that Maria didn't need to pay attention while the fat slob lectured. Jara held up a plant and asked for a volunteer to list the medicinal properties. Maria looked around the room and saw several hands shoot up, but none faster than Ava's.  
  
_It's different for Ava,_ she thought to herself. _She missed out on so much, living the way she did. School is still a novelty to her._   
  
Jara Kobodi looked past Ava to where her favorite pet Grenla sat with her arm raised. Jara nodded at Grenla, and the girl recited the medicinal properties of the plant.  
  
"Excellent, excellent," Jara said. "Perfect as always, Grenla."  
  
Maria turned around and looked at Ava, whose face mirrored her own shocked feelings. Grenla's answer was wrong. Without thinking, Maria raised her hand and called out to Jara Kobodi.  
  
"Excuse me, Jara Kobodi, but I don't understand," Maria said.  
  
"Mira?" queried Jara Kobodi. "Why am I not surprised? What is it you do not understand? Grenla's answer was very simply stated. I would think even **you** would not have any problems understanding her."  
  
"I'm not understanding," Maria said, her voice hardened by anger. "Because I think she's wrong. I believe the medicinal properties of that particular plant are more related to the throat and for coughs, and not for ailments of the digestive track. Unless," Maria added, her voice sickeningly sweet, "that is, you gave us the wrong information in your lecture last week?"  
  
"What?" blustered Jara Kobodi, pawing through her notes. "Oh, yes, well, I see. Yes, Mira, that is correct."  
  
Maria turned around and smiled at Grenla, whose eyes had protruded so far out of her head, she looked like a giant frog.  
  
"Class dismissed," snapped Jara Kobodi. "Mira, please speak to me after class."  
  
Maria sat and watched as the students filed out of the room, one by one. Ava hung back, and gave her a worried look, but Maria smiled reassuringly and motioned for her to leave.  
  
"Yes, Jara Kobodi, what is it I can do for you?" Maria asked.  
  
"Do not ever correct me again!" shouted Jara Kobodi, slamming the door. "The nerve of you, a student, correcting me, an instructor, in front of the class. I will see to it that you leave the Training Academy immediately!"  
  
"Why?" Maria asked, quietly. "You would prefer that we are given misinformation?"  
  
"Enough of your insolent cheek!" roared Jara Kobodi. "I will see to it that you are discharged from this learning establishment immediately."  
  
"Okay," Maria said. "Feel perfectly free to do that, and I will feel perfectly free to report what a biased, vile, wretched instructor you really are."  
  
Jara Kobodi reached out and slapped Maria across the face, just as the door opened. Jara Kobodi looked up and saw the head of the Training Academy walk in, accompanied by Plash Nevenia, Liz and Ava.  
  
"Jara Kobodi!" shouted Derago Kavron, the head of the Training Academy, shouted. "We do not strike students. It is strictly forbidden."  
  
"This student, if you can call her that," spat Jara Kobodi. "Was insolent, and rude. She is lazy, and disrespectful, and she doesn't belong in an educational facility such as this."  
  
"We are talking about this young woman?" asked Derago Kavron, pointing at Maria. "Are you sure?"  
  
"Of course I am sure, Derago," Jara Kobodi said. "In fact, she just tried to correct me in front of the entire class."  
  
"That's because you were wrong," Ava said, speaking up. She turned to Derago and Plash Nevenia to explain. "She asked for the medicinal properties of a particular plant, and chose a student to give the answer. The answer given was incorrect, but Jara Kobodi accepted it as correct. Mira simply stated that she was confused, listed the correct medicinal properties of the plant, and reminded Jara Kobodi that she herself had given us that very information in a lecture last week."  
  
Is this correct?" Derago Kavron asked Jara Kobodi.  
  
"Yes, but she was still disrespectful, and I demand that she be removed from the program!" she shouted. "Obviously that one," she pointed at Ava, "knew that her friend had overstepped her bounds, and ran to you to help her out of this mess. Well I won't stand for it. I want her, no the both of them, out of this school, immediately.  
  
"Jara Kobodi, control yourself," Derago Kavron said, sharply. "You are not acting in a manner befitting an instructor of the Training Academy. You are embarrassing yourself in front of these people." He turned and pointed to Plash, Liz and Ava. "I have brought these people here to share some wonderful news, and I find you acting like a harridan. Now I suggest you control yourself, before you embarrass yourself any more than you already have."  
  
"News, what news?" demanded Jara Kobodi. "Unless it is news of their removal from the school, I am not interested!"  
  
"You will sit down, and you will listen," thundered Derago Kavron. "We shall meet to discuss your attitude at a later date, Jara Kobodi, but for now, I have some news to share. Plash Nevenia and I have just completed tests on the substance created by these three girls, and I am happy to announce that they have created a medicine that will aid in the destruction of infection. It's exactly what we were hoping for when Plash Nevenia came to me with the suggestion for the two groups working together."  
  
Derago Kavron turned, his hands clasped and smiled at the three girls who by now, had moved to stand by one another. He beamed at them as he told them they would have the honor of naming the new medicine.  
  
"Ah, um," stammered Maria, she turned and looked at Ava, her feelings of panic clearly visible in her eyes. Ava just stared back, unable to come up with a name other than penicillin.  
  
"Fleming," said Liz, triumphantly. "We're calling it Fleming."  
  
"What a grand idea," the head of the Training Academy practically gushed. "Taking its name from the ancient Vendrian word for destruction. I love it. Ladies, not only have you brought honor to yourselves, and the Training Academy with your discovery, you have provided a great service to all of Antar. We will talk more of this great discovery of yours at a later date, but for now, I have other business to attend to." He glared at Jara Kobodi. "Plash Nevenia, Jara Kobodi, I want to see the two of you in my office, NOW! I believe that there are quite few things that we need to discuss," he said, directing his comment to Jara Kobodi. "And I expect you to help shed some light on a few issues," he added, looking expectantly at Plash."  
  
Jara Kobodi stormed out of Derago Kavron's office, ready to explode. There was something wrong with those two girls; she just knew it. They were going to be thrown out of the Training Academy if it was the last thing she did. Jara flung the door of the living quarters provided to her and her husband by the Training Academy. Because of her husband's position in Lord Kivar's Army, the quarters were larger than any of the other instructors' quarters.  
  
She lowered her heavy body into a chair, and stared broodingly out the window. She ignored the opening of the door behind her that signaled the arrival of her husband, while she dwelled over her interview with Derago Kavron.  
  
_There has to be some way to get rid of those two vile students,_ she thought to herself. _Something she could use to destroy them. Perhaps she'd find something in their student files,_ she mused to herself.  
  
"Are you listening?" her husband asked.  
  
"I'm sorry," Jara Kobodi said. "My mind was wandering. What did you say?"  
  
"I said a most peculiar thing happened during today's training exercise. One of the new Aberjani threw himself in front of another to protect him from an energy bolt."  
  
"You find that interesting?" Jara Kobodi asked. "Why? Perhaps they are friends."  
  
"Perhaps," agreed General Kobodi. "And yet, still, I am amazed. For I haven't seen such a self sacrificing maneuver since General Rath threw himself in front of the energy blast I threw at King Zan."


	42. Chapter 42 Serious Repercussions

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Forty-Two** – _Serious Repercussions_  
  
"He did what?" Max roared. "Of all the stupid, idiotic, asinine things to do. Throwing himself in front of a blast meant for you has got to be the most ridiculous thing Michael has ever done."  
  
"Gee, thanks, Max, I didn't know you cared quite so much," said Zan, leaning against a wall.  
  
"Don't be stupid," said Max. "That's not what I mean, and you know it. Saving somebody like that is something an Aberjani so wouldn't do. Why would he do something so stupid?"  
  
"Maybe because he didn't want me to die?" Zan asked dryly.  
  
"Jesus, will you chill?" snapped Max. "That's not what I mean, and you know it, so stop giving me shit! I mean, no Aberjani would ever sacrifice himself for another. Michael did nothing but draw attention to us, and it's going to cause problems for us. I know it."  
  
"Don't have such a freak out, Max. Maybe we can spin this to our benefit," said Zan.  
  
"Right," said Max, his voice dripping with scorn. "Or we could just wear signs that say 'Hi, we're the cloned Royal Family,' to make it easier for them to hunt us down and kill us."  
  
"Look, if you want to sit here and worry about things that just aren't going to happen, be my guest," said Zan. "I'm hungry, and I'm going down to dinner. If you have half a brain, and I know you do, because I do, and you're me, you'll come with me, we'll find the others, an figure out a way to use this to our benefit."  
  
"You are such an ass," said Max, a small grin appearing on his face. "So I guess I must be too. Lets go get something to eat and figure out how we're going to fix this mess. Just don't say anything to the others until we're all together, okay?"  
  
"Okay," replied Zan. "Let's jam!"  
  
Max looked across the dining hall to where Liz sat, chatting animatedly with Maria, and Ava. Isabel sat with them smiling occasionally, but was far more subdued. Liz caught his eye and gave him a lascivious smile, which caused his blood to boil. Max felt his face begin to burn, but he held onto his composure long enough to wink at Liz. He turned away and searched for the table where Michael and the others were sitting.  
  
Kyle stood part way up and waved to Max, signaling for him to join him. Max gave a half wave, and made his way over to where his friends were sitting.  
  
"Hey," said Kyle. "Did you have fun playing soldier today?"  
  
"I won, so yeah, I guess I did," said Max. "What happened to you?"  
  
"I got hungry, so I let myself get killed early. Besides, Alex needed to talk to me."  
  
"Kyle, can you think of anything besides food?" Max asked with a laugh.  
  
"Yeah, I can think about what has you so jazzed off," said Kyle. "Why the inner freak fest, Max? And don't tell me it's because of the little mind game Liz just played with you."  
  
"I thought you weren't going to say anything," Max said, glaring at Zan.  
  
"I didn't," said Zan, holding up his hands. "Honest."  
  
"Well you must have," Max said, trying to be reasonable, "If Kyle knows already."  
  
"Relax, Max," said Kyle. "Nobody said anything. It's just pretty obvious that you're wound tighter than a slinky. What gives?"  
  
Max just stared at Kyle, wondering when his friend had become so observant. Kyle was a lot of things, but he'd never been the compassionate, touchy feely type.  
  
"I think Max is concerned about what happened during our GI Joe games today," Zan said, diplomatically.  
  
"Yeah, it was a total mistake," Michael said. "But I didn't think. I just reacted to it."  
  
"What happened, what was a total mistake?" asked Alex, clearly confused.  
  
"Zan was about to get killed today in a mock training exercise, and I threw myself in front of the energy bolt and saved him," Michael said, his voice grim. "It was a stupid thing to do, and I don't even know why I did it."  
  
"Ah, you saved a friend," said Alex. "Since when is that a bad thing?"  
  
"Since it's something the Aberjani would never do," said Max. "They are so not team players. But Zan has some idea of how we can use this to our advantage," Max added.  
  
"Yeah, well before we get into that," interrupted Kyle. "Alex, I think you need to go check in with Isabel. She's really bummed about something."  
  
"How do you know?" asked Alex, looking across the hall to where Isabel sat. "Did she tell you? And why are you just waiting until now to tell me?"  
  
Kyle sighed heavily, and rubbed his forehead. "No, she didn't tell me. I haven't talked to her since last night. But look at her. She isn't eating, she isn't talking, and her hair is falling out of that twisty thing, and she hasn't done anything about it."  
  
"You're right," said Alex in amazement, looking over at Isabel. "She looks like hell. Okay, guys, I'm out of here. I'm going to bring Isabel downstairs and talk to her. I'll see you all there later on, right?"  
  
Zan and Michael nodded, and Kyle smiled wearily, signifying his agreement, but Max just stared at Kyle, noting for the first time, how tired and drawn his friend looked.  
  
"So, what's the plan?" asked Michael. "Cause I'm thinking, if anybody saw what I did, we're in a complete and total world of hurt."  
  
"Well, we're supposed to go back out again tomorrow, right?" Zan asked. "Well I was thinking, if all of us started trying to save other people, it might throw suspicion off of what Michael did. But the thing is, I don't think we'd better try and save each other. We don't want to draw attention to ourselves in that way, but if we start saving other trainees, maybe it will throw them off our tails."  
  
Zan sat back nervously and waited while the others thought about his suggestion. He wasn't big on the whole teamwork thing. It was still hard for him to open up and be as trusting as the others were. He felt as if he was laying his soul on the line as he waited for their opinions.  
  
"That's a great idea!" Max said. "In fact, if we take it one step further and try and 'save' some of the students that General Kobodi favors, and a couple of the students that usually aren't as successful, it may throw them totally off."  
  
"Speaking of which," said Kyle. He lifted his chin, using it to point to the front of the room where General Kobodi stood staring out over the students. "He's here, and he is pissed. Michael, I'd suggest you get the hell out of here, now."  
  
Michael opened his mouth to argue, saw the look on Kyle's face and thought better of it. He grabbed his plate and slipped out the side door before the General noticed him.  
  
"He is really ripped," said Kyle, staring intently at the General. "But not just at Michael."  
  
"Kyle, what the hell are you talking about?" asked Max. "How can you know he's mad, and who he's mad at? It makes no sense."  
  
"It does to me, and right now, I think we'd all better get out of here. Max, I want you to take Ava out of here right now. While you're over there, tell Liz to come sit with me, and Maria to meet Zan over by the windows. It's not much, but it may confuse him a bit."  
  
"Kyle, I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but I think you've snapped or something," said Max.  
  
"Yeah, great, fine, I've snapped. Now shut the fuck up and do what I tell you," whispered Kyle.  
  
Max stared at Kyle. In all the years that they had known each other, he'd never seen him act like this. Max simply nodded and walked across the dining hall to where Ava and the others sat. He leaned over and whispered in her ear. She looked confused but nodded and grabbed her belongings and stood up. She leaned over to Liz and Maria and whispered something and giggled loudly, smiled adoringly, and followed Max out of the room.  
  
A troubled and confused Liz and Maria both stood up and grabbed their possessions. Maria walked over to the large windows where Zan stood waiting for her, and Liz crossed the hall and sat at the table that was now occupied only by Kyle. She slid into the seat next to him, and looked closely at her friend.  
  
"Kyle, oh my God, Kyle, are you okay?" she asked, her voice filled with panic. "You aren't looking too great. What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing," said Kyle, the sweat beading on his face. "Listen, can you not think so loud or something?"  
  
"Not think so loud?" Liz asked, puzzled. "What do you mean? Kyle, are you reading my thoughts?"  
  
"Not your thoughts, no, but your emotions, I think. I can usually block them out, but when I'm with you guys, it gets kind of overwhelming."  
  
"Come on, let's get you out of here," Liz said. She slipped her arm around Kyle's waist and helped him up. "Come on Valenti, make it look like you love me. Put your arm around my waist, will you."  
  
Kyle slipped his arm around Liz's waist, and the two walked out of the dining hall under the angry glance of General Kobodi.


	43. Chapter 43 I'm a Betazoid?

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Forty – Three** – _I'm a Betazoid?_  
  
Kyle paused slightly as the walked passed General Kobodi, but Liz used every last bit of strength she possessed to almost drag him out of the room.  
  
"Come on Valenti, work with me here," she hissed under her breath.  
  
"I can feel the anger pouring off of him," Kyle said. It's coming off of him in waves; hot angry red waves of energy. He's pissed, really, really pissed."  
  
"Great, Counselor Troi, can we save this for later, please?" Liz asked. "Kyle, I want you to focus on some of your Buddha stuff, be a tree growing in the woods or something. Stop paying attention to what I'm thinking or feeling, and get your ass in gear and walk!"  
  
Liz's words were enough to cause Kyle to block out as much external stimuli as possible and to start putting some weight on his legs. He kept his eyes shut tightly, and allowed Liz to guide him down to the hidden room. Outside the door, he stopped and looked at Liz, his eyes filled with pain.  
  
"I don't think I can go in there," he whispered. "Isabel is so upset, and she's trying to hold it in, and keep it from Alex. She needs to let him know what's upsetting her. The more she tries to keep it in, the more she's hurting herself, and him."  
  
"And you, from the sounds of it," said Liz, softly. "Well, I'm not leaving you out here. How about if we get you in there, and take you right through to the tunnel. Maybe if you're not in the room with them, and can just sit, and meditate or something, and we can figure out something to help you."  
  
"I'll try," said Kyle, "But Liz, I have to tell you, I'm scared as hell to walk in there."  
  
"You'll be okay," said Liz, trying to keep her voice on and calm even pitch. Just keep your eyes shut and think flowing water, or blowing breeze, or whatever, okay?"  
  
"Love the way you sum up my religious beliefs, Liz," Kyle said, with a grin that was a pale imitation of his usual open smile.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, shut up, Buddha and lets get moving," said Liz. She opened the door to their room and rushed Kyle through and directly into the tunnel. Max jumped up, wordlessly, and ran to Kyle's other side, and helped Liz half lead, half carry him.  
  
"Liz, what's wrong with him?" Ava asked, worriedly trailing along behind them.  
  
"I'll explain everything in a second," said Liz. "But right now, you need to get out of here, and keep everyone out of the tunnel."  
  
"Liz, he's my husband, I need to stay with him," Ava said, her voice agitated.  
  
"And right now, he needs you to be away from him, Ava," Liz said, trying to keep her voice calm. "Right now, Kyle needs quiet, and he needs for all of us to stay calm, and not get worked up emotionally. I promise, I'll be out in a minute to explain everything."  
  
Ava left reluctantly and Max and Liz got Kyle settled against the smooth dirt walls of the tunnel.  
  
"Okay, Valenti, you're a leaf, floating down a babbling brook, got it?" said Liz. "I'll be back to check on you in a bit. Max come on, Kyle doesn't need us here right now."  
  
Her friends verbally assaulted Liz when she and Max exited the tunnel and rejoined the group in the hidden room. Demands to know what was wrong filled the room.  
  
"Shut up, all of you," Liz said, trying to maintain a calm even tone. "Everyone needs to sit down, and try their damnedest to remain calm while I try and explain this."  
  
Liz waited until everyone had sat down, and she herself went to sit beside Ava, and take her hand and squeeze it gently.  
  
"Kyle's okay," Liz said. "But for some reason, he's developed a power that puts him in tune with people's emotions."  
  
"Kind of like Deanna Troi on Next Generation," said Alex and Michael simultaneously.  
  
"Exactly like that, I guess. Kyle said he can block them out pretty much, but when he's around us, it's harder for him to do. I think, too, if someone is suppressing emotion, or trying to contain it, he feels it pretty strong, because we walked past General Kobodi, and Kyle kept saying he could feel waves of anger pouring off the guy, but if you looked at him, he looked like he didn't have a care in the world."  
  
"How can we fix it?" Ava asked. "Max, can you heal it?"  
  
"I don't think so, Ava," Max said, gently. "It's not like there is anything _wrong_ with him. We're going to have to find another way to deal with it."  
  
"Yeah, well, I've got a lot on my mind, so maybe I'd better just get out of here, then," said Isabel, standing up.  
  
"Isabel, what happened to your face?" Liz asked, momentarily distracted by the changes in Isabel's appearance.  
  
"Oh, uh, nothing," Isabel said. "I just decided I wanted a new look, that's all.  
  
"That's not all," Kyle gasped, leaning against the entrance to the tunnel. "Something happened today, and it's tearing you apart. Unless you want it to tear me apart, you'd better tell everyone what's going on."  
  
"No! I don't want to talk about it," Isabel said, vehemently.  
  
"Isabel," Alex said, softly, putting his arm around her. "You have to. It's obvious that you're upset about something, and Kyle can feel it too. You shouldn't keep it all bottled up inside."  
  
"I, I saw Kivar today," Isabel blurted out in a rush.  
  
"Did he recognize you?" Max asked, his face a worried mask.  
  
"No, I don't think so, but there's something else. He had someone with him, today. It, it was me!"  
  
"You're not making sense, Isabel," Maria said. "If you were there, how could you be with him."  
  
"I'm telling you," Isabel said, her voice filled with agitation. "He's claiming to be married to Queen Vilondra. I saw her, and she looked exactly like me! I'm pretty positive I have a good idea of what I look like, Maria!"  
  
Liz looked over at Kyle, and watched as the pain on his face eased as Isabel confessed what was bothering her. She slipped away from the group and walked over to where he leaned against the wall.  
  
"You okay?" she asked, softly.  
  
"Yeah. Once Isabel got that out, it was like a tremendous pressure was lifted off of me. I mean, everyone in this room has things their worried about, and I can feel it, but nothing was as powerful as the emotions Isabel was trying to contain. Liz, I don't know how much longer I can go on like this. It's hard."  
  
"Come on over here and sit down," Liz said, leading Kyle to a chair. "Maybe Che'koth has some idea of what we can do to help you."  
  
Kyle sat wearily in the chair, and Ava came over and perched carefully on its arm and began to stroke Kyle's head. The others joined them and began to discuss Isabel's revelation, struggling to keep their emotions in check, and talk in calm, measured tones.  
  
"Who do you think it is?" Zan asked. "Could it possibly be Lonnie?"  
  
"No way," said Alex, stroking Isabel's hair. "She was about as dead as you could possibly be when we put her in the Granolith. And," he added, "She had been dead for a few hours before that happened. He couldn't have resurrected her. Antar doesn't have that type of technology."  
  
"What did she say, Isabel?" Max asked. "Did she talk to you at all?"  
  
"That was the creepy thing, she didn't say a word," said Isabel. "She just trailed along behind Kivar like an adoring puppy or something. She never said a thing."  
  
"We need to talk to Che'koth," Max said. "Anybody have any idea of how to get in contact with him?"  
  
"We don't have to," said Maria, her face suffused with color. "He's meeting me here later tonight."  
  
"What?" exploded Michael. "Why?"  
  
"Because we're working on something, Space Boy, that's why. Do you have a problem with that?"  
  
"I do if you're working on something that's going to put you in danger," said Michael.  
  
"Well, it's not," Maria said defiantly. "You don't have to worry about me, Michael Guerin. I can take care of myself."  
  
"I'm not worried about you," said Michael with small grin, trying to diffuse the situation. "I'm more concerned about the after effects of Hurricane Maria on poor Che'koth.  
  
"I'm surviving just fine, General," said Che'koth from the tunnel passageway. "But all of you seem to be in great distress. How may I help?"  
  
Alex and Isabel began to tell Che'koth about the Isabel clone that was parading around the palace, while Liz and Ava tried to bring Kyle's dilemma to his attention. The noise level grew louder and louder until a piercing whistle filled the air.  
  
"Cool it, all of you!" shouted Zan. "Give the man a chance to think, _and_ to hear you. Isabel, you have the freak factor, but I think we need to address Kyle's situation first. He's suffering from physical pain, yours is only mental."  
  
"Listen to Zan going all king like," Maria whispered to Michael. "It's almost like having Max in stereo. Oh wait, it is exactly like having Max in stereo."  
  
"Che'koth, what's wrong with Kyle?" Ava asked. "He's feeling all these emotions from other people."  
  
"Interesting," said Che'koth. "Kyle, do you remember when we talked about the power surge that happened when you memories were being supplemented?"  
  
"Yeah," said Kyle. "Something I so wish had never happened."  
  
"Well, apparently I was wrong, the power surge didn't cause the extra memories, your powers caused the power surge. Empathic powers do sometimes occur, but not often. It seems as though this was a power you were going to develop, and the supplemental memory speeded the process. Had it occurred naturally, you would have learned how to cope, and suppress the pain you are feeling. You haven't been given that chance, but I think, if you search your memories, you will find the techniques are stored. You only need to work on them. We will talk more later, but now, let me hear what is bothering Isabel."  
  
At the sound of her name, Isabel got up and began to pace nervously around the room. She related her experience in the Royal Palace, and the shock she felt at seeing **another** replica of herself walking around.  
  
"This news is quite alarming," Che'koth admitted. "We had all heard the news that Kivar claimed to have wed Vilondra, but I wasn't concerned because I knew it wasn't possible."  
  
"Well, I saw her, me, I mean her," said a clearly confused Isabel. "She was there, plain the nose on our face. Who is she, Che'koth? Is it Lonnie, did she survive somehow?"  
  
"I'm not sure, Princess," Che'koth admitted. "The matter bears some looking in to. I'll get on it right away. Maria," he added, turning towards the other girl. "I'm afraid this will delay the next stage of your plan, is that alright with you?"  
  
"Of course," said Maria, though her face clearly showed her disappointment.  
  
"All right Maria, spill it!" said Michael. "What plan, what's going on? Che'koth, what's going on?"  
  
"You did not know?" Che'koth asked. "Your wife led me to believe you, what was the phrase she used, oh yes, you had her back on this one."


	44. Chapter 44 Coming Together

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Forty - Four** – _Coming Together_  
  
"Okay, look, it isn't really important," said Maria. "Remember how we had kind of talked about some way to rally the people. Get them involved. Well, I decided to get that started on my own, with Che'koth's help."  
  
"The song," said Alex. "Maria, it's brilliant. How have you been getting it all over the city?"  
  
"That's where Che'koth came in," Maria said. "We both agreed that it probably wouldn't be safe for me to be wandering the streets at all hours, so he recruited some of the rebels to help."  
  
"Maria, I apologize," said Michael, stunning the room into complete and total silence. "What?" he said, looking around the room at the amazed faces of his friends. "I can't be wrong?"  
  
"And admit it?" said Max. "Not usually."  
  
"Jerk," said Michael, punching him in the arm. "Maria, why didn't you just tell us about it?"  
  
"I just wanted this to be mine, you know?" Maria said, looking at Michael. "You guys have your soldier stuff. Liz and Alex are working on that weapon thing, and the guidance system for it. Isabel is doing that diplomatic thing, and Ava is totally loving the whole being in school thing. I'm just here, doing nothing."  
  
"Well, you're wrong about totally doing nothing," Max said. "Maria, you're a part of us, and we're a part of you. We're stronger together than apart. If you weren't here, we'd be weaker, and could possibly be in danger. But, I like your plan, and I think you should keep it up. How can we help?"  
  
"You want to help?" Maria asked. "You believe that it's a good idea?"  
  
"Of course we do, Maria. "I saw what you came out with out in the city today, but honestly, I forgot all about it after my adventure in the palace. But don't forget, we all helped get the first part of your message out," said Isabel. "Why didn't you think we'd be on board for the rest of it?"  
  
"Because I'm not usually plan girl," admitted Maria. "I kind of thought you were just humoring me."  
  
"With the reaction we got here in school, and in the market place?" Michael asked, incredulously. "We were so NOT humoring you, Maria."  
  
"But nobody seemed interested in going any further with it," said Maria.  
  
"It kind of got shoved to the back burner with everything that was going on," admitted Max. "But Maria, you stepped right up and kept it going! You were awesome. What's your next step?"  
  
Maria sat back, and looked at her friends who watching her intently, waiting for her to lay out the next step of her plan. It was a new feeling for her, and she found that she liked it very much.  
  
"Well, the last thing I put out was "We can't afford to be innocent. Stand up and face the enemy," Maria said.  
  
"It's a do or die situation, we will be invincible," Alex finished. "It's perfect Maria, just perfect."  
  
"Count me in, too," said Kyle, walking across the room with Che'koth.  
  
"You okay?" Liz asked, while Ava jumped up and ran over to hug her husband.  
  
"Yeah," said Kyle. "Che'koth helped me to access the information I needed to deal with the overwhelming emotions I was feeling. Funny thing is, Liz, it's pretty much what you were telling me to do anyhow. Focus on emptying my mind. A lot of what he showed me is very similar to the Buddhist way of life, so I should be okay."  
  
"Hey, uh, Che'koth," Zan said awkwardly, directly addressing the Antarian for the first time. "Are all of us going to develop new powers, or just Liz, Maria and Alex?"  
  
"We're not sure," admitted Che'koth. "Don't forget, this experience is new for all of us. I would assume that the powers that you have will grow stronger, and the possibility does exist for you to develop more powers. What all of you have to remember is you have the memories of the collective conscious in you to draw upon. The knowledge is there, but you have to search your minds for it. Now, if you will excuse me, Majesties, I am going to try and gather some information about the woman in the palace. Maria, now that Michael, truly does 'have your back,' I can assume that the next package will be at the end of the tunnel later this evening?"  
  
Maria nodded, and smiled at Che'koth, while Isabel jumped up from where she was sitting, and ran over to Che'koth.  
  
"Thank you Che'koth," Isabel said, grabbing his hand and squeezing it. "I don't know what we'd do without you."  
  
Che'koth looked at her, trying to disguise the emotion in his eyes. "Have you never thought, Isabel, that if it weren't for me you wouldn't even be in this situation?"  
  
"Of course we would have," said Isabel. "We can't assume our enemies wouldn't have found us. At least, because of you, we know what we're up against."  
  
"You are very kind, Isabel. I am pleased to serve you in any way that I can," said Che'koth, bowing his head. He carefully removed his hand from Isabel's, and turned quickly and walked through the tunnel. Once he was out of site, he stopped and wiped a tear from his eye.  
  
"Take care, my daughter," he whispered.  
  
The morning sun rose slowly over the mist covered training area. The Aberjani trainees marched, single file over the dew covered grass. Some were still yawning, and all of them longed for breakfast.  
  
"What is the meaning of this!" roared General Kobodi, looking around the grounds of the Aberjani training area. Every tree, every large boulder, every wall had hundreds of papers attached to it. He grabbed one and read it, and his face turned a deep crimson.  
  
"We can't afford to be innocent.  
Stand up and face the enemy.  
It's a do or die situation.  
We will be invincible!" he read.  
  
"Who put this here?" he shouted to the assembled Aberjani trainees. "I demand that someone give me an answer!"  
  
"General Kobodi," said one of the trainees. "If you please, is there anything else on the paper that would help us to identify the culprit?"  
  
"Never mind that!" blustered the General. "Forget about it. Prepare for the training exercise, and I don't want to see **ANYBODY** even look at one of these papers!"  
  
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a communicator, and barked some orders into it. Within minutes, the Aberjani swept into the training area and began to remove the papers. Michael watched with a grin as the Aberjani trainees surreptitiously grabbed leaflets and stuffed them into their pocket.  
  
"Wow, is he pissed beyond all belief," said Kyle, walking over to where Michael stood.  
  
"Is your new power telling you that?" Michael asked.  
  
"No, the fact that his face is as red as a bottle of ketchup is telling me that," laughed Kyle. "I worked all night on the stuff Che'koth showed me, and I'm actually getting pretty good at blocking all the crap that's swirling around me. I'm going to start working on opening myself up enough to get a reading on what someone is feeling, next."  
  
"Yeah, well I wouldn't suggest trying it with him," said Michael, pointing to General Kobodi. You'd probably both end up blowing a gasket."  
  
General Kobodi barked out a sharp command, and the Aberjani spun, and began firing upon the trainees. Kyle, without conscious thought, pushed Michael to the ground, and began firing at the Aberjani.  
  
"Nice going, Grasshopper," said Michael, standing up. "But the idea was to save other people, not each other."  
  
"Don't get in my way, and it won't happen again," said Kyle, hitting the electronic target on an Aberjani's chest. Cool, I got one."  
  
Michael slid into a nearby clump of trees, and watched as Zan knocked one of the trainees out of the line of fire, directly under General Kobodi's nose.  
  
"That should give the stupid shit something to think about," Michael said to the empty stand of trees.  
  
Liz sat at her table in the lab, scribbling furiously on a pad of paper. She looked through the microscope, and watched as Ava's blood cells were completely destroyed by the substance she dropped onto the slide.  
  
"I can go about this two different ways," she said to the empty room. "I can try and modify the chemical compound so that it attacks the other Aberjani, or I can modify it so it just doesn't attack us."  
  
The door behind her opened and Plash Nevenia walked into the otherwise deserted lab.  
  
"Good morning, Lan," she said. "How is your experiment coming along?"  
  
"Good morning, Plash," said Liz. "Everything is fine."  
  
"May I see what you are working on?" Plash asked courteously.  
  
"Um, well," hedged Liz.  
  
It's okay, Liz. Remember, I'm on your side," Plash whispered. "By the way, the substance you and the others _invented_, what is it really?"  
  
"Oh, it's a form of a medicine called penicillin. It's used for fighting infections. It was discovered by Alexander Fleming."  
  
"So of course you named it Fleming. How lucky you were that it is similar to the Vendrian word for destruction. Or did you plan that?"  
  
"That was pure and simple dumb luck," admitted Liz. "I certainly wasn't thinking about that when I came up with the name."  
  
"You are not only smart, then, you are also very, very lucky," Plash said with a laugh. "Now, show me what you are working on.'  
  
Liz explained her dilemma to Plash, and showed her the chemical compound, and how it destroyed the sample of Ava's blood.  
  
"I think my best bet would be to modify it somehow so that it will destroy anything _but_ us. I'm just not sure how to go about it."  
  
"We'll think of something," said Plash. "In the meantime, it's almost time for morning meal. Clean up your things, and go to the dining hall, and relax. The solution will come to you."  
  
Liz quickly cleaned up her experiment, and headed for the door. She was just about to leave the room, when Plash's voice stopped her.  
  
"By the way, please let your friend know how much I enjoyed her decorations."  
  
A puzzled Liz nodded and left the room. She walked towards the dining hall, her curiosity piqued by the loud sounds she heard coming from the room.  
  
Liz walked into the dining hall and stopped in shock, the entire room was papered with the refrain from the song Maria had chosen, and each verse either had a glowing handprint, or an orb symbol next to it. The dining hall staff fluttered around ineffectually, unsure of what to do, while Jara Kobodi blustered around, giving orders that nobody followed.  
  
Derago Kavron walked into the dining area, his face set in a mask of anger. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a communicator and pressed several buttons.  
  
"Attention Students," he said, his voice projecting through the room with the aid of the communicator. "I do not know the meaning of this destruction, but it must stop immediately. I want all of you to remove these offending items, and destroy them immediately. I won't bother telling you not to read them, but I will ask you to take them for what they are, pointless acts of vandalism.  
  
Liz walked further into the dining hall, winked at Maria and began to remove papers from the wall. As she worked, she hummed softly under her breath, until she realized that the people on either side of her were staring. Liz caught herself in shock and horror when she realized that she was singing the song softly.


	45. Chapter 45 We Got Trouble

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Author's Note**: I'm not really sure if anybody is reading this or not, but if you are, would you please consider telling me your opinions. I really enjoy hearing what people think. Thanks.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Forty-Five** – _We got Trouble!_  
  
General Kobodi waited impatiently in the throne room for Lord Kivar to appear. He paced around the room, trying to contain his frustration. He knew something was wrong, but he wasn't certain Lord Kivar would take his warnings to heart.  
  
"Impudent pup," he said to the empty room. "He doesn't ever listen to anybody but himself. I don't know why I'm wasting my time."  
  
"Is there a problem, General Kobodi?" Kivar said, walking into the room. "Or are you afraid that this 'impudent pup' won't listen to you, General?"  
  
"Lord Kivar, I am sorry, I was merely," Kobodi began groveling.  
  
"Silence!" roared Kivar. "I know exactly what you were doing, and nothing you can say will excuse it." Kivar lifted one hand, and shot a bolt of energy at General Kobodi, knocking him to the ground. Again and again, Kivar shot low level energy bolts into the General, waiting to hear him beg for mercy.  
  
Kobodi writhed on the floor in agony, each bolt sending higher levels of pain coursing through his body. Finally, he could take it no more, and he cried out for mercy to Kivar.  
  
"Please my Lord, no more. I beg you to forgive me!" he cried. "I didn't mean anything by it. You are the supreme ruler of Antar, there is no other but you."  
  
"That's better," said Kivar, shooting one last blast at Kobodi. "Now, tell me why you demanded a meeting, Kobodi. I have little time to waste with you. My Queen needs my attentions."  
  
"Here," said the general. He reached into his pocket and removed a paper, and passed it to Kivar, his hand shaking visibly as he did so. Kivar took the paper, pausing to smile evilly at the weakness shown by Kobodi.  
  
Kivar scanned the paper, his eyes darkening in anger. "What is the meaning of this?" he shouted. "Who dared to use these symbols? They have been outlawed. I want whomever has done this brought to me, immediately!"  
  
"We do not know who has done it, my Lord," Kobodi said, flinching. "We found them all over the grounds where we hold our training exercises."  
  
"These words, 'We can't afford to be innocent, stand up and face the enemy,' what do they mean?"  
  
"I'm not sure Lord Kivar, I can only theorize that they are meant to insight some type of insurrection. The words are rather inflammatory," said General Kobodi.  
  
"We must find them, and crush them," said Kivar. "Whoever this is, remains loyal to the royal family. I have worked tirelessly to stamp out any remaining memories of them, only to have this garbage waved in my face. We need to find those clones Kobodi. Have the Aberjani found _anything_ yet?"  
  
"No, sire," said Kobodi, taking a step backwards. "We've heard from all of them, except Glenarra. We lost contact with her, several weeks ago."  
  
"Damn!" said Kivar. "And she had the most promising lead. Never mind, there is a student at the Training Academy who is working on a tracking device, which will allow us to find them, no matter where they are, and destroy them. Apparently, she has made great strides, and a prototype should be ready for testing soon."  
  
"That is excellent news," said Kobodi, anxious to get back on Kivar's good side.  
  
"How are the trainees coming along, Kobodi?" Kivar asked. "With many of the Aberjani on Earth, looking for Zan and the others, their ranks have diminished."  
  
"They are doing very well, Lord Kivar," said General Kobodi. He thought about the incident on the training field when Mesch had thrown himself in front of a blast intended for Za'nith. It worried him greatly, but he didn't want to risk the displeasure of Lord Kivar by telling him of the selfless act, and what it reminded him of. "There are several promising candidates, that I believe will impress you. Perhaps you could find time to come down and observe them some time."  
  
"As I told you before Kobodi, I am very busy, and I have my Queen to attend to, but perhaps this time, I will make an exception. Expect me tomorrow morning."  
  
"Thank you Lord Kivar," said Kobodi, bowing deeply. "And please give my respects to Queen Vilondra, as well. It is wonderful to have her back on Antar and at your side where she belongs."  
  
"I will give Her Majesty your greetings Kobodi," said Kivar, leaving the room.  
  
Kobodi watched him leave, and then continued to pace around the room, limping slightly from the injuries Kivar had inflicted upon him. As he paced, General Kobodi made note of the enormous amount of wealth that filled the room.  
  
_Lord Kivar certainly isn't depriving himself or his precious queen any worldly goods,_ Kobodi thought to himself. He limped to the doorway, wondering about Queen Vilondra. _I never would have thought she would have allowed it to happen,_ he thought. _She fought harder than her brother when we stormed the castle._  
  
As he walked through the halls of the palace, Kobodi allowed his mind to travel back in time to the day they successfully overthrew the castle.  
  
The sounds of the battle surrounded them. Some filled the air, as did the dying screams of soldiers on both sides. It was luck, more than anything else that allowed them to breach the doors of the palace. The Antarian Guard fought valiantly, but they were no match for the mercenaries Kivar had searched the galaxy to hire. Kobodi was almost gleeful, when he entered the palace, and saw King Zan, fighting side by side with his soldiers. One thing you could say for Zan, he never thought himself better than anyone else.  
  
Kobodi worked his way around the fighting, and struggled to get closer to Zan, and his trained monkey, Rath. Gleefully, he moved into range, and fired at King Zan. He knew if he managed to kill the king, Kivar would reward him, greatly.  
  
"Zan!" Rath had yelled. He reached over and knocked Zan out of the way, and was stuck by the energy bolt Kobodi had fired. Rath crumpled to the ground, his last words calling to the others to protect Zan with their lives. Zan spun around and screamed; a sound filled with both hatred and agony.  
  
"I'll kill you!" he screamed, but in that second, Kobodi fired off another bolt of energy, striking Zan dead.  
  
Kivar walked through the palace doors, an evil smile of satisfaction on his face.  
  
"Surrender, all of you, or die! You'll find yourselves dead on the ground like your precious king!" he shouted to he Antarian Guard that filled the hall.  
  
As one, the called out that they'd rather die, and one by one, Kivar and his mercenaries killed them.  
  
Kivar reached down and grabbed one of the wounded guardsmen by his hair, and pulled his head up.  
  
"Where are the others?" he asked. "Where are Princess Vilondra, and Ava?"  
  
"I'd rather die than answer you?" spat the guardsman.  
  
"You are going to die regardless," said Kivar with a laugh. "The difference being in how quick and how painless it is."  
  
The guardsman's only answer was to spit in Kivar's face.  
  
"Bastard!" said Kivar. He punched the guard in the face with his free hand, and shot an energy bolt into his stomach.  
  
"Long live King Zan," the guardsman gasped with his dying voice.  
  
"A bit late for that," said Kivar with a laugh. "Take that trash over there," he said to Kobodi, looking in the direction of Zan and Rath's bodies, "And throw them out in the courtyard." He dropped the man's body on the floor, and stepped on it as he made his way into the great hall, searching for Vilondra.  
  
"Vilondra, come out, come out where ever you are," he chanted in a sing-song voice. He paused, and heard the sound of a slamming door in the distance.  
  
"Of course," he said. "The throne room. Where else would she possibly go."  
  
A cadre of mercenaries, lead by Kobodi joined Kivar just as he reached the throne room. At a signal from Kobodi, they wrenched the doors from their hinges, only to be met with a continuous assault of energy bolts. A row of mercenaries fell, only to be replaced with another.  
  
"Push forward!" Kivar yelled. "Kill them all, except the Princess. She must be taken alive."  
  
"The hell I will!" yelled a voice from inside the throne room, and the energy blasts increased. "I'll see you dead first."  
  
"Surrender, Princess!" Kivar yelled. "It's too late. Your brother's body lays dead in the courtyard, along side his worthless general."  
  
"No!" yelled another voice, and Ava stepped out from a behind a barricade and began firing energy bolts with all her might. Countless mercenaries fell at her onslaught, and one struck Kobodi with a glancing blow, causing him to be thrown backwards against a wall.  
  
"Bitch!" he screamed. He fired a bolt directly at Ava's head. She dove out of the way, striking her head against the base of Zan's throne, knocking her unconscious.  
  
"Take her and lock her up!" Kobodi ordered, "She's mine!"  
  
"Go play with your little toy, Kobodi," Kivar said. "I can handle Princess Vilondra."  
  
"Handle this, you sick bastard!" Vilondra shouted. She stepped out from behind a throne firing energy bolts from one hand, and in her other hand, she held a dagger. She threw the knife with amazing accuracy, striking Kivar in the face.  
  
"Come closer, and I'll kill you!" she shouted.  
  
"Lord Kivar!" shouted Kobodi.  
  
"Leave us, **NOW!**" Kivar shouted, firing a blast at Vilondra.  
  
Kobodi turned and walked away as one last scream from Vilondra filled the air.  
  
_She fought so valiantly then,_ he thought. _Why, now, does she follow him around like a faithful puppy?" Kobodi continued his train of thought as he walked down the empty passageways. A flash of movement caught his attention, and he turned to see a figure dart down a hallway. __  
  
__Without conscious thought, Kobodi turned down the hallway, and followed the swiftly moving figure. He moved quickly, and grabbed the figure and spun it around so it faced him. Shocked at what he saw, he released the figure and bowed low._  
  
_"Forgive me Queen Vilondra. I did not realize it was you."_  
  
_Isabel assumed the vacant expression she had seen on the face of her duplicate. She gave a half smile and turned away, and continued down the hallway, her heart beating rapidly in fear. As she walked, she listened for the sounds of Kobodi's retreating footsteps. When she could hear them no longer, she turned and quickly retraced her steps until she came to the throne room._  
  
_Isabel opened the door and entered the room and looked around. It was beautiful but it didn't stir any memories in her. She tamped down the emotions that were trying to struggle to the surface and quickly went to work. When she was done, Isabel crept quietly out of the throne room, and made her way back to the ambassadorial staff room._


	46. Chapter 46 Allies and Enemies

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Author's Note:** Thanks for letting me know people are reading. As long as I know people are reading, I'll keep posting!  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Forty-Six** – _Allies and Enemies_  
  
Alex sat on the bed in his Spartan sleeping quarters, going over the schematics for the transporter the Aberjani used to get to Earth. He made some notations, and folded them up and stuffed them in the pouch that swung off of the belt on his uniform. He stood up, grabbed some tools off of his desk, and left the room without a backward glance. He wanted to get to the lab, and finish up some work before he met Isabel.  
  
When he entered the lab, it was deserted, and he sat down, and got right to work. He pulled the schematics out of his pouch and spread them on the workbench in front of him. Alex studied the notations he had made, and began to work feverishly.  
  
Several hours past unnoticed, and Alex had a row of transporters laid out on the bench in front of him. He allowed himself a self-satisfied smile, and began to work on the weapon for the Aberjani. Alex was too absorbed in his work to notice when the lab door opened behind him.  
  
"Greetings Aladrik," a voice said, and Alex jumped, and spun around.  
  
"Na'grat, it's you," Alex said with a laugh. "I guess I was focusing so hard, that I didn't hear you come in. What's up?"  
  
"Nothing," said Na'grat, settling down on a stool next to Alex. "I just came in to do some extra work on my project. What about you?"  
  
"Same thing," said Alex. "I really want to be successful. I was told my project was of vital importance, and I don't want to let anybody down."  
  
"Right,' said Na'grat, watching Alex out of the corner of his eye. "You wouldn't want to disappoint Lord Kivar."  
  
"I don't know about Lord Kivar," said Alex, blandly. "I have no idea who my project is for. It was assigned to me, and I'm going to do it to the best of my ability."  
  
"What are those?" Na'grat asked, pointing to the transporters Alex had left on the work bench."  
  
"What's what?" asked Alex, giving Na'grat a shove with his mind. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"I said, how is your project coming along?" said Na'grat, reacting to Alex's mind warp.  
  
"I'm doing okay with it," said Alex. "How about you?"  
  
"Well, I needed some help," said Na'grat, and I was hoping you'd be the person o help me." He reached into his pouch and pulled out some notes and spread them on the table. As he did, a scrap of paper with some words fell to the floor. Alex reached down to pick it up, and passed it to Na'grat, glancing at it as he did.  
  
"You're not supposed to have that," Alex said, trying to make his voice accusing. "The Director told us to destroy them."  
  
"I didn't mean to," said Na'grat, his voice filled with fear. "It must have gotten mixed up with my things when we were taking them down in the dining hall. Please don't report me!"  
  
"I won't," said Alex. "But you'd better get rid of it right away. You wouldn't want the wrong person to find you with it."  
  
"What do you think it means?" Na'grat asked, ripping the paper up into small pieces.  
  
"It sounds to me like somebody is trying to stir up a show of support for the Royal Family," said Alex. "Which is stupid, since with the exception of Queen Vilondra, they're all dead."  
  
Na'grat looked around, moved closer to Alex and lowered his voice to a whisper. "That's not what I've heard."  
  
"Heard about what?" asked Alex, purposely playing dumb.  
  
"In my city," said Na'grat, "There are rumors that King Zan and the others escaped some how."  
  
"How can that be?" asked Alex. "My own father was here during the uprising. He saw the bodies of King Zan and General Rath, as well the General's sister, Ava. And Princess, I mean Queen Vilondra, is married to Lord Kivar," said Alex, swallowing down the bile that filled his throat at his last statement.  
  
"Maybe I'll tell you what I know, and maybe I won't," said Na'grat. "How do I know I can trust you?"  
  
"Of course you can trust me, Na'grat," said Alex, giving him another shove with his mind. "So what were you saying?"  
  
"I heard that scientists somehow made copies of King Zan and the others, and hid them away, someplace safe. I think that they're back, and those posters and stuff prove it!"  
  
"Interesting," said Alex, purposely changing the subject. "So what did you want me to look at on your project?"  
  
"Elandra! Elandra, wait!" a voice called after Liz as she walked down the halls of the Training Academy. Liz stopped and turned around and found two of her classmates running up to her.  
  
"We need to talk to you," said one, pulling Liz by the arm.  
  
"In here, it's private," said the other girl, grabbing Liz's other arm. The two girls led her into an empty classroom and closed the door, and stared at her expectantly.  
  
"What do you want?" asked Liz. She recognized one of the girls as the person who worked next to her when they were removing the posters. Liz quelled the sudden fear that perhaps she had heard the tune that Liz was humming.  
  
"I heard you this morning," said the first girl. "When the Director asked us to remove that trash from the dining hall."  
  
"You heard what, Varonia?" Liz asked stalling for time.  
  
"You know what I'm talking about," Varonia said.  
  
"There's no use denying it," said the other girl. "You're a part of it."  
  
"A part of what?" questioned Liz. "I'm sorry, I don't remember your name."  
  
"My name isn't important," said the other girl. "As if I would want a traitor like you to even speak my name."  
  
"Traitor?" said Liz, her voice incredulous. "Why am I a traitor? What is it I've done that you would dare to call me that. She drew herself up as much as her small stature would allow and glared at the two girls.  
  
"When we were removing those disgusting posters this morning, you were humming," said Varonia.  
  
"And humming makes me a traitor?" Liz asked. "In that case, Lord Kivar's prison's must be over flowing by now."  
  
"It's obvious that the song you were humming fit the words on those posters perfectly," said Varonia. "You must be a part of the group that is putting that filth up everywhere."  
  
"You're insane," said Liz, laughing to disguise her fear. "Do you honestly think that if I were involved in something like that, that I would be dumb enough to announce it to the world that way? You know, I'm sorry, but I'm just not that stupid. I was humming, that's it. I think you two need to get a grip on reality," she pushed past the two girls and walked towards the door.  
  
"We'll be watching you," said Varonia. "Have no fear."  
  
"Believe me, I don't," said Liz slamming the door behind her.  
  
Kivar entered the darkened throne room and smiled to himself. It wouldn't be long before he was the king. He could imagine the coronation scene in his head. The lovely Vilondra would place the Antarian crown on his head, and the people that filled the room would cheer. It would only be a few short weeks before his Vilondra would be ready.  
  
He walked across the room and sat in the throne and surveyed the darkened room, still imagining it filled with throngs of cheering people; all of them calling out his name. He passed his hand through the air, and the room filled with light. It was several seconds before his eyes focused. When Kivar saw what filled the room, he screamed, and instead of hoards of people calling his name, the room was filled with his own screams of rage.


	47. Chapter 47 Actions and Reactions

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Forty-Seven** _Actions and Reactions_  
  
Another market day had arrived, and the students of the Training Academy were free to explore the city, and take a relaxing break from their grueling studies. Alex reached over and grabbed Isabel's hand and swung it in a carefree manner.  
  
"Today, we are going to do nothing but relax," he said. "No talk of weapons, of tracking systems and no talk of intrigue. I have declared this a stress free day!"  
  
"Oh listen to the masterful one," laughed Isabel, stopping to hug Alex tightly. "I love it when you get all strong and boss like."  
  
"Oh Alex, I love the strong silent type," joked Michael, running up and knocking Alex's hat to the ground.  
  
"It just makes my heart go all a flutter when you act that way," said Kyle in a mock southern accent. He waved his hand in front of his face like a fan. "I do declare, you are just so masterful, Alex."  
  
"Jerks," said Alex with a grin, pushing them away. "Go play with someone else. Where are Max and Liz? Go bug them for a while."  
  
"But it's so much more fun bugging you, Alex," said Michael. "We get such pleasure out of it."  
  
"I can kill you, you know," said Alex.  
  
"Yeah, but we can kill you to, so where's the fun in that?" said Kyle. "Besides, Max and the others went on ahead. We were sent on a mission by our king to find you."  
  
"Kyle, when have you ever willingly done anything Max asked you to do?" demanded Isabel with a smile.  
  
"Well, since it involved harassing you, I was all for it," said Kyle.  
  
"You will pay for this," said Isabel. Not here, not now, but someday, you'll pay."  
  
"Big words from Madam Diplomat," laughed Michael. "Come on, let's hurry up. I want to spend some time with Maria, away from all the problems of everyday life."  
  
"And so we end up right back where we started," said Alex. "No weapons, no wars, no kings, **NO SHIT!** he concluded as the group entered the marketplace.  
  
They stopped and stared in shock and amazement. It was a cool, crisp, sunny day, and the sunlight was glistening over the millions of silver handprints that decorated every available surface. People filed out of stores and into the open area, yelling and pointing.  
  
A hand reached out from the crowd and grabbed Alex. "See, I told you!" yelled Na'grat, his voice excited. "It's a sign! King Zan is here, I just know it!"  
  
"Shut up, Na'grat," hissed Alex. "Your drawing attention to yourself." He glared at Na'grat and gave his mind a shove, and Na'grat immediately began to calm down. "I think I'm going to go pick up a gift for my mother," he said. "She'd like that."  
  
Alex watched as Na'grat wandered off through the crowd. "So much for our nice relaxing day," he said to the others. "Michael, I think I'm going to kill Maria. Doesn't she know the meaning of the words overkill?"  
  
"No," said Michael. "But Maria didn't do this. She, uh, well, she was with me all night." His face flushed a dull red, and he glared at the others, daring them to make something of it. When nobody said anything, he asked, "Who was that guy anyhow, and what was he talking about?"  
  
"Let's round up everybody else, and I'll tell you about it," said Alex. "Where are we supposed to meet everybody?"  
  
"At that little stand that sells jewelry, not to far from the restaurant where Che'koth took us that time," said Kyle. "Come on, let's get out of here before we get into any more trouble."  
  
They quickly left the market place and made their way to where Max, Zan, Maria, Ava and Liz waited. The expression on their faces showed that they were as shocked as the others by what they had seen. By unspoken agreement, they didn't say anything. The guys stood by chatting about inconsequential things while the girls examined the jewelry on the cart.  
  
"It's very lovely," Isabel said, holding up a necklace.  
  
"It is indeed very beautiful," said the owner of the cart. "But only half as lovely as you. It is made from trideka, and the stones are brentium."  
  
"I'm sorry," said Liz, struggling to keep her voice calm. "What did you say it was made from?"  
  
"Trideka," said the man. "It is one of the purest forms of metal on our planet."  
  
"Aladrik, did you hear that," she called to Alex. "This beautiful necklace is made from something very similar to what Mother's wedding bracelet is made from." She stared at him, then shifted her gaze to her wedding band, then looked back to the necklace."  
  
Alex smiled when he realized what Liz was trying to get him to understand. Platinum was very similar to trideka. He watched as Liz touched her wedding ring, and then touched the necklace. She nodded to Alex and slipped off her ring and tried the necklace on. Alex concentrated and shoved at Liz's mind, trying to get her to cluck like a chicken. Her excited smile told him that the mind warp wasn't working.  
  
"Ma'nith," she called to Max. "Isn't it beautiful!" She took the necklace off and held it up to Max.  
  
"It is," said Max, looking quizzically at Liz. "Would you like me to buy it for you?"  
  
"Maybe someday," she said with a shy giggle. Carefully, she placed the necklace back in its case and turned to Max. She stood on tiptoe as if to kiss him and quickly whispered in his ear. "its properties are very similar to platinum. If you touch your wedding ring, you can transfer its properties to the jewelry. It will block a mind warp. Alex and I already tested it. Tell the others."  
  
"Are all the items on this cart made with trideka?" she asked the man.  
  
"Of course. Me'noyith only sells the highest quality pieces," the man said proudly.  
  
"They are lovely," said Liz, watching as Alex and Max spread the word to the others. "May I look at some of the other pieces you have?"  
  
"Of course, beautiful lady," said Me'noyith. "Anything you desire will be yours on such a lovely day.  
  
One by one, Liz picked up the pieces of jewelry and changed their molecular structure to match that of the platinum band she wore. Isabel, Maria and Ava joined her, and in a matter of minutes, they had changed every piece Me'noyith had on his cart.  
  
Ava walked up to the cart owner and smiled. "Thank you so much for letting us examine all these beautiful pieces," she said. "Now, I want you to take your cart, and go to the center market place, and give everything away." She closed her eyes and shoved with her mind. "Do you understand what I'm asking you?"  
  
"Of course, lovely lady," said Me'noyith. "You want me to share my jewelry with the people of our fair city."  
  
"Thank you, Me'noyith," said Ava. "You will be rewarded. I promise you this."  
  
"I thought we had agreed that it was not wise for all of you to be seen here," Che'koth said when they trooped into the small restaurant.  
  
"Yes, we did agree," said Max. "But some things have occurred that make meeting like this a necessity. We need to talk to you, and it couldn't wait. And, we need you to pay a man named Me'noyith for the contents of his cart," he added as an after thought."  
  
"Why don't you start at the beginning," said Che'koth. "And finish with why I owe this Me'noyith money."  
  
The group looked at each other, waiting to see who would go first; finally Liz took a deep breath. "I'll start," she said. "We were all ordered to help clean the dining hall, and remove all the 'propaganda.' Well, I guess I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing, and I started humming while I was removing the posters."  
  
"This does not seem like a great tragedy," said Che'koth.  
  
"You wouldn't think so," said Liz, but two girls heard me, and connected the tune, with the words on the posters, and confronted me about it later. I totally got in their faces about it and said that they were imaging things, and that if humming were a sign of treason, half of Antar would probably be in jail by now."  
  
"Do not worry, Liz," Che'koth said with a faint grin. "There are those who will always try to better their position by accusing others, but there is something scheduled to happen at the Training Academy tonight that will throw all suspicion off of you. Who is next?"  
  
"Okay, I was in the lab, working on the transporters, which I finished by the way," began Alex. "Anyhow, I had them laid out on the work area in front of me when this guy Na'grat comes waltzing in, supposedly wanting my help with something. He spied the transporters, but I mind warped him into not seeing them, and I hid them pretty quick. So, he pulled out some stuff he wanted me to look at, and out fell one of Maria's little song snippets. I decided to go on the offensive, and he really wigged out, begging me not to report him."  
  
"So far, I'm not hearing anything that is of a great concern," said Che'koth. "What happened next?"  
  
"He wanted to know what it was, and we discussed the possibility of someone trying to stir up support for the Royal Family. I pointed out that they were all dead, except for Vilondra, and that's when it got freaky. He told me that some scientist made copies of Zan and the others and hid them away for safekeeping. People know about them," Alex said, pointing at Max and Isabel.  
  
"Alex, you need to relax," said Che'koth. "You're starting to act like our friend Maria here," he smiled fondly at Maria, taking the sting from the comment. "There have always been rumors to that effect, and now, we can use them to our benefit."  
  
"Well, Na'grat was totally freaked when we got to the marketplace and saw all those handprints. I had to mind warp him again to get him to shut up, or he probably would have ended up dead," said Alex. "Who put those up there, anyhow?"  
  
"That would be the doing of some of the freedom fighters," explained Che'koth. "They put up some, but I think, many of the citizens of the city added their own to show support of the Royal Family. It seems, also, that someone," he looked directly at Isabel, "Managed to get into the throne room in the palace and did a little redecorating. Kivar was most unhappy when he found it."  
  
"Oh, that," said Isabel, blushing faintly. "I meant to tell you all about that, I just kind of forgot, that's all."  
  
"Isabel, what did you do?" Ava asked, smothering a laugh with her hand.  
  
"Well, I may have burned a phrase or two from the song into the floor, and on the walls, and the ceiling," said Isabel.  
  
"And etched colored orbs and handprints into the glass so that when the sun shines in the windows, they are reflected all over the room," added Che'koth.  
  
"Well, the room was looking really boring," Isabel said. "I just wanted to liven it up."  
  
"And with the power of conviction, there is no sacrifice. It's a do or die situation, we will be invincible, really did liven it up," said Che'koth. "They're saying you could hear Kivar's screams throughout the castle. Now, may we move on to the part where I am paying a jewelry salesman all of my money, please?"  
  
"Well, we were looking at some jewelry on a cart," began Isabel. "The owner told me they were made of trideka. When Liz heard that, she got all excited."  
  
"Because trideka is very similar to platinum," interjected Liz. "I thought maybe we could modify its molecular structure and turn it to platinum. I tried it, and then Alex tried to mind warp me. By the way," she added, turning to Alex, "What's with the clucking like a chicken? Anyhow, it didn't work, the mind warp I mean."  
  
"So then Liz told me, and I told the others, and the girls started trying on all of the jewelry on the cart, modifying it as they went," said Max.  
  
"Then I kind of suggested to Me'noyith that he should go into the market place and give away his jewelry," said Ava. "And that he'd be amply rewarded, so it's my fault you have to pay him. I'm sorry."  
  
"Sorry?" said Che'koth, roaring with laughter. "The nine of you are the most inventive, creative people. You are not afraid to take a situation and use it to your advantage. Your plan is superb, and you have dealt well with every situation you have encountered. Go and enjoy the rest of your day. I will meet with you tonight, _after_ I pay Me'noyith."


	48. Chapter 48 Congratulations are in Order

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Forty-Eight** _Congratulations are in Order_  
  
The student body of the Training Academy assembled in the only room large enough to hold them all comfortably, the dining hall. A low buzz filled the air as the students tried to figure out why they were all there. Liz sat next to Maria. She looked around surreptitiously and found Varonia and her friend and pointed them out to Maria.  
  
"They look like they ate a couple of lemons for dinner," Maria whispered to her. "But hell, if we could handle 12 years of Pam Troy, we can deal with _anything_ those two can dish out."  
  
Liz shook with laughter. "Maria, poor Pam is like 9 million light years away or something, and she still pissed you off."  
  
"She was born to piss me off," Maria said, darkly. "She is an evil blight on the face of the Earth."  
  
"Tell you what, lets focus on the enemies we have on _this_ planet, then we'll deal with Pam Troy.  
  
"You're just saying that to make me feel better, chica. I don't believe it. You're too nice to do anything totally evil to Pam Troy."  
  
"Maria, come back to Antar, will you," said Liz. "The Director is here, and I want to hear what he has to say."  
  
The Director walked into the room, followed by the faculty of the Training Academy. The climbed the stairs to the stage, and the faculty took their seats behind the Director who stood at a podium. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a communicator and pressed a button on it, and returned it to his pocket.  
  
"May I have your attention please," he said, and his voice boomed throughout the vast dining hall. "We are here for a very joyous reason. As many of you may know, we recently began a joint project between the natural healing division of the Training Academy, and the science division. The goal of this project was to find substances that will aid in the healing of some illnesses and injuries, leaving the few healers who remain to focus on the more serious health problems. I am pleased to announce that a team of three students here at the Training Academy has created a medicine that will fight infection in our citizens. Would Elandria Predia of the science division and Atara Greja and Mira Drenia of the natural healing division please stand."  
  
Applause filled the room as Liz and Maria stood up, side by side, and looked across the room where Ava rose from her seat in between Kyle and Zan. Maria nudged Liz and pointed at Jara Kobodi who sat on the stage, her lips pressed together in anger. Sitting next to her was Plash Nevenia who applauded with all her might. Liz half turned and looked at Varonia and her friend who both sat with their mouths hanging open in shock.  
  
"I am also pleased to announce that Elandria Predia has been chosen to work with our technology division in the development of special items for the Aberjani!"  
  
Again the room echoed with applause, and Liz smiled slightly and again looked back at Varonia. She was pleased to see that the girl looked shocked beyond all reason. Liz smiled in the direction of the Director and the rest of the faculty and quickly took her seat next to Maria.  
  
"Now we have a more serious matter to discuss," said the Director. "As you may be aware, somebody, or several some bodies has chosen to deface the Training Academy with insurrectionist material on several occasions. Please do not pay attention to any such materials you my find, and if you do find any, remove them, and report them to my office. However, I must caution you not to look at each and every one of your classmates as a potential traitor. I have had several different students in my office today, reporting what they thought was suspicious behavior. Ladies and gentlemen, doodling is not suspicious behavior, nor is humming. Please, we are here to learn, this is not a witch hunt. We are not political here at the Training Academy, our mission is to provide you with the training you will need to succeed and help Antar grow for many years to come."  
  
Again the sound of applause filled the room, and Liz resisted the urge to turn around and stare at Varonia. She didn't need to, she could feel the girl's eyes burning holes into her back.  
  
"Before I dismiss you," said the Director, would Elandra, Mira and Atara please report to my office. Thank you, you are dismissed."  
  
The student body rose, and began milling around. Liz and Maria made their way over to where Ava stood, and together the three girls walked down the hall to the Director's office.  
  
"Why do you think he wants to see us?" Ava asked nervously.  
  
"Ava, relax," said Maria. "Here, try some lavender oil. It's very soothing."  
  
"I'm sure it's nothing Ava. It probably has to do with the announcement he made tonight," said Liz. She stopped before the Director's door, and knocked boldly on the door.  
  
"Come in," a voice called, and Liz reached out and opened the door and went inside.  
  
"You wanted to see us, sir?" Liz said.  
  
"Yes, come in girls, come in," said the Director, his voice genial. "I just wanted to congratulate you again, and apologize for not giving you advance notice regarding the assembly. One of my faculty members," he glared at Jara Kobodi who sat in a chair, her face mutinous, " was supposed to tell you this morning, but it apparently slipped her mind."  
  
"That's perfectly all right, sir," said Maria, stepping forward. "Jara Kobodi was so very busy today, she had so much information to share with us during class, it's perfectly understandable that it slipped her mind." Maria smiled brightly, first at the Director, then at Jara Kobodi. "In fact, Atara was saying that it was one of the best lectures we've ever had since we came to the Training Academy." She nudged Ava with her arm.  
  
"Oh yes," said Ava. "I especially loved the information Jara Kobodi shared about the Chapara plant. I didn't realize that it could be used to sooth tooth aches."  
  
"Well ladies," said the Director. "It's very obvious to me that you are working very hard, and learning a lot."  
  
"Oh, it's all thanks to Jara Kobodi," gushed Maria, moving over to the angry woman. "She's the one who has just brought the subject alive for us." She reached out and grabbed Jara Kobodi's hand and began to shake it profusely.  
  
"Jara Kobodi," said the Director. "Your student is trying to thank you. At least you could stand up, and allow her to do it properly."  
  
Jara Kobodi grudgingly stood up, and Maria and Ava both began to practically fawn over her. Liz was getting nauseous watching, until she saw Ava's hand reach into Jara Kobodi's pouch and remove something and slip it into her own pocket.  
  
"Thank you again, Jara Kobodi," Maria said. "For all you have done for us. I know we wouldn't have been half as successful without your support." She released Jara Kobodi's hand and she and Ava stepped back to stand with Liz.  
  
"Did you want anything else, Sir?" Liz asked the Director.  
  
"Yes, actually, I did. Jara Kobodi, if you would excuse us please." He waited until the instructor left the room, and then turned to Liz. "I want you to know that what I said in the assembly is true, humming is not a treasonous offense, but if I were you, I would be cautious. The student who reported you has a father who works closely with Lord Kivar."  
  
"Sir, I really wasn't doing anything," said Liz. "I was just humming. I couldn't even tell you WHAT I was humming. Why should I be held responsible just because some one's overworked imagination decided some words on a paper fit the tune I was humming!" Liz's voice grew louder and louder and she got angrier that Maria could ever remember seeing her.  
  
"Lan, Lan, you need to relax," said Maria, stepping forward and grabbing Liz's arm. "The Director isn't your enemy here. He is simply pointing out that you need to be more cautious."  
  
"Exactly," said the Director, looking relieved at Maria's intervention. "Now, why don't the three of you go take some well deserved time off from your studies. If I remember correctly, I believe I've seen you in the company of some very handsome young men recently. Ah to be young again. You know, I met my own wife in my first year as a student at the Training Academy. She was a lovely girl. She was in the diplomatic program."  
  
"That's just so romantic," said Ava, smiling. "But if we don't want to lose our boys, we really ought to get going. Thank you for everything, Sir. You'll never know just how much we appreciate it."  
  
"Good night, ladies," said the Director. "Enjoy your evening. Keep up the good work, we here at the Training Academy expect great things from you!"  
  
Once out in the hall, Liz turned to Maria, laughing. "Were you a bit much, or what?" she asked. "And you were just as bad, Ava. The Chapara plant, come on? I'm telling you both, right here, right now, that your future does **NOT** lie on the stage!"  
  
"Maybe not, but it got me this," said Maria, pulling the communicator out of Ava's pocket."  
  
"What are you going to do with that?" asked Liz. "Or don't I want to know?"  
  
"You'll see," said Maria. "You'll see."


	49. Chapter Forty Nine It's Party Time

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Forty-Nine** – _It's Party Time _  
  
Ava opened the door to the secret tunnel room and was greeted by a round of applause.  
  
"All hail the conquering scientists," shouted Max. "Let's give them a big round of applause for discovering penicillin!"  
  
"Shut up, jerk," Ava said good-naturedly. "Besides, it wasn't me, it was your wife. I just went along for the ride!"  
  
"That was quite the show for you today," said Michael. "What happened after? We were starting to get worried."  
  
"We went down to the Director's office," said Liz, who by now, had squeezed into the chair that Max was sitting in, "And we heard again about what a great and wonderful thing we did. And then, Maria and Ava went into action. Oh my God, they were too funny!"  
  
"I'm afraid to ask," said Michael, with a groan. "Kyle, you do it."  
  
"Do I have to?" said Kyle. "Maybe the road to enlightenment lies in the not knowing."  
  
"Fine, don't ask," said Maria. "Then you'll never, ever now what happened."  
  
"I'm not a coward," said Alex. "I've survived too many Maria plans to ever show fear again. I'll ask. What happened next, Maria?"  
  
"Well the evil bitch teacher from hell, Jara Kobodi was there, and I went into major suck up mode."  
  
"It was pretty disgusting actually," said Liz, chiming in. "But then Ava got into the act after some prompting from Maria."  
  
"Which is when I liberated her communicator," Ava said, proudly.  
  
"Liberated?" Kyle asked, weakly.  
  
"She lifted it," said Zan. "The question that remains is why?"  
  
"Maria mentioned that she wanted it," Ava said, simply.  
  
"Well that makes all the sense in the world," said Max.  
  
"Of course it does, Max," said Isabel. "Maria has a plan that involves a communicator. Men," she added, turning to the other girls, "Just never seem to get it."  
  
"Isabel's right," said Maria. "I have a plan, and Alex, I need your help with it."  
  
"Um, remember when I said I survived too many Maria plans to ever show fear again?" asked Alex. "Well, I lied."  
  
"Come on, Alex, it's a piece of cake," Maria wheedled. "All I need you to do is make a bunch more of these, and can you upload my song to them, and make it so the ones you make talk to each other, so if I tell one to play, they'll all play."  
  
"Oh sure," said Alex, "A real piece of cake. Yeah, I can probably do it, but it's not going to be a right away thing, that's for sure."  
  
"No problem," Maria said, her voice gleeful. "You can have a week."  
  
"So, has Che'koth been here yet?" Liz asked, trying to change the subject before Alex killed Maria with his bare hands.  
  
"He was, but it was before any of us got here," said Zan. He left a message saying to wait for him. He'd be back with some important news at some point tonight."  
  
"Liz," Ava whispered. "Are you going to tell Max what the Director said?"  
  
"No," Liz whispered back. "He's got enough to worry about. I want to talk to Che'koth about it first, and get his take on it before I do anything else."  
  
"What are you two whispering about?" Max asked, tugging playfully on Liz's hair.  
  
"Well, it's like this, see," said Liz, stalling for time while she came up with an answer. "I was, um, wondering if we had any popcorn in that stash of food. I was thinking we were in serious need of a popcorn party."  
  
"The woman wants a popcorn party," said Max, standing up, cradling Liz in his arms. "The woman shall have a popcorn party!" He placed Liz back in the chair and went over to the storage container where they kept the food Che'koth had brought back from Earth for them. He rummaged around and held up a box of microwave popcorn.  
  
"Your in luck!" he said. "We have plenty."  
  
"Don't we need a microwave for that?" Maria asked.  
  
"We have sorely neglected your education," said Isabel, grabbing the box from Max's hand. She opened it up, and removed one of the packages and laid it on the table. She held her hand over it, and within seconds, the sound of popping filled the room.  
  
"That smells so good," said Liz, across the room. "What other goodies do we have?" She jumped up and ran to the storage container and pulled out cans of soda, several bags of chips, and some salsa.  
  
"Oh goodie," she exclaimed, like a child. "We get to have a party."  
  
Within minutes, all of the teens were munching on food, laughing and talking. Maria grabbed a cd, and soon the sound of music filled the room as well.  
  
"Oh no, the Kit-Shickers cd!" moaned Kyle. "Make it go away, please!"  
  
"They're not too bad," said Maria. "Not great, but not horrible. Not by a long shot."  
  
"Hey, look at this," said Alex, reading the liner notes. "Dedicated to my one and only Amy. Awe, isn't that sweet."  
  
"Shut up, Alex!" Kyle and Maria said, simultaneously while the rest of the room laughed.  
  
Che'koth stood in the tunnel, hidden from view, listening to the sounds of laughter that filled the room. It pleased him to hear the sounds of his children laughing and enjoying themselves so much. There had not been enough of that in their lives, nor in their previous lives.  
  
He moved forward several steps so that he could see into the room, but still remain hidden from view in the shadows. He watched Max pull Liz down into his lap, causing her bag of popcorn to fly out of her hands and land on the floor. She laughed and swatted his arm, playfully. His son had indeed chosen well.  
  
Across the room, Isabel laughed at something Alex said, and the sound of his laughter filled his heart with joy. She looked so much like her mother that it took his breath away. Che'koth moved back further into the shadows, wanting to delay the conversation that he knew would cause his precious daughter so much pain.  
  
Maria danced across the room, momentarily blocking his view of Isabel, and he smiled as he watched the carefree sprite. She was so alive, so impetuous, she was perfect for his very stoic, yet hot headed nephew. He smiled to himself as he remembered Rath as a child, so willing to throw himself into any cause. It saddened him, however to realize that Michael would never be as carefree as his fun loving nephew Rath. Rath had grown up surrounded by the love that Michael had been denied, and it colored his disposition very much.  
  
Ava waved a bag of chips in front of Kyle, pulling them out of reach every time he grabbed at them. Finally, he gave in and pulled Ava into his lap. Che'koth laughed silently, enjoying the playful nature of his niece. She resembled his late sister so much! And Zan; his other son. How ironic that both pods should reach their full gestation period. And contrary to their earlier beliefs, the scientists ruled by Kivar were not able to taint either embryo of his son. He was so much like Max, and yet so different. It boggled the mind to see that the way a child was raised would have so much influence on them.  
  
He watched, a few minutes longer, unwilling to end the happy and relaxing time the young people were enjoying themselves. How he wished he could reveal his true identity to them. He longed to hear his children call him Father again. But it was so much safer for all of them this way. Finally, he knew he could delay no longer, and he stepped out of the shadows and into the small room.  
  
"Che'koth!" Max called over the music. "Popcorn?"  
  
"No thank you, Majesty," Che'koth answered with a slight grin. "I think not."  
  
"Do you have some news for us?" Max asked, noting the worried expression that Che'koth's grin didn't cover.  
  
"I'm afraid that I do," he answered.  
  
"Why don't you ever show up with _happy_ news?" asked Kyle. He reached over and tapped Maria on the shoulder and grabbed the Kit-Shickers cd out of her hand. "Party time's over. We're back to saving the world."  
  
"Well, I do have _some_ good news," said Che'koth. "It's just that the bad news outweighs the good news.  
  
"Like there's a surprise," said Alex.  
  
"Well, the girl who is trying to make trouble for Liz has a father that works closely with Kivar," said Che'koth.  
  
"I'm guessing that's the bad news," said Max.  
  
"Actually, no, that's the good news," said Che'koth. "He's loyal to King Zan, and he won't do anything with the information his daughter is sure to bring him."  
  
Liz smiled in relief. Now she wouldn't have to worry Max at all.  
  
"I was also able to track down the man with the jewelry cart," said Che'koth, and make complete restitution to him.  
  
"Look, Che'koth," said Ava. "That was all my fault, I'll find a way to pay you back, somehow. I promise."  
  
Che'koth closed his eyes as an image of his small niece giving away all her belongings to those less fortunate flashed through his mind.  
  
"There is no need," he said, quietly. "We also have some of our scientist working on modifying more of the Trideka as well," he added.  
  
"Yeah, not wanting to sound stupid or anything," said Kyle. "But why didn't you guys ever do that on your own. I mean, no offense to Liz and Alex, but if they could do it, why couldn't you guys?"  
  
"Simple, we didn't have a sample of platinum to use. The only way for us to get back to Earth was to use the Granolith, and only you could activate it. And after you activated it, there was so much going on with all of you, I never really thought about asking you for a sample of platinum to bring back here."  
  
"Okay," said Michael. "We've had good news, and more good news. This leads me to believe the bad news is going to be big."  
  
"I'm afraid it is," said Che'koth. "I found out about the Vilondra that Kivar has in the castle."  
  
"I'm not going to like this very much, am I?" Isabel asked faintly.  
  
Alex slipped his arm around her, and held her tightly, while Maria, Liz and Ava closed ranks around her as if to shield her from Che'koth's news. Che'koth nodded imperceptibly, pleased to see the way Alex instinctively thought to protect his wife.  
  
"No, Princess, I'm afraid you will not. It seems as though Kivar was able to steal some of the genetic material used to create you. He has had a team of scientists working feverishly to create another Vilondra. He finally succeeded, but only to a point. His clone has some serious defects, including the inability to speak, and to think for herself. At this point, he has been successful at passing her off as just being quiet and shy since her family died, but people are beginning to question that."  
  
"But," said Zan.  
  
"But, he is very close to creating another Vilondra, and if all goes well, this one will be able to speak. I'm not to sure if he's going to want her to have independent thoughts," said Che'koth. "Both you, and the original Vilondra are very independent people."  
  
"You were right, I didn't like that news very much," said Isabel. "I don't know if I can kill someone that looks exactly like me."  
  
"I can," said Alex, grimly. "I did it before, and I'll do it again. I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe.


	50. Chapter Fifty The Secret is Out

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Tomorrow's Yet to Come**  
  
**Chapter Fifty** - _The Secret is Out _  
  
The Aberjani training room slowly filled as the soldiers and the trainee's filed in, one by one. There were no chairs in the dimly lit room, and the Aberjani lined up in rows, facing the darkened podium.  
  
Max stood quietly, feeling the waves of nervousness pouring off the soldiers around him.  
  
_If I can feel this,_ he thought to himself. _What's happening to poor Kyle?_  
  
He leaned forward slightly and looked down the line, trying to focus until Kyle came into vision. Even in the dim light, Max could see Kyle shaking slightly, and his lips were moving as he formed silent words. Max shifted a bit more, and he saw Michael step out of line and shove himself in beside Kyle. Michael leaned down and whispered something to Kyle, and Max could see some of the tension leave his body. Max stepped back into position, smiling to himself. Who'd have thought Michael would ever be the one to give Kyle comfort.  
  
A movement at the front of the room grabbed his attention, and Max focused on the shadowy figures that were standing on the raised platform. Two pencil thin lights came on, focusing down on the platform, bringing General Kobodi into view, and next to him was Kivar! Max stared at him, and feelings of hatred rose up inside of him, threatening to spill out. Stealing a page from Kyle's book, Max forced himself to focus on a stream he camped at once with his father. In his mind, he watched a small golden leaf float down the stream, and his feelings of rage subsided, slightly.  
  
"Soldiers of Lord Kivar!" shouted General Kobodi. "It is time for you to move forward to the next stage of your training. Soon you will swear complete and total allegiance to Lord Kivar. You will protect and defend him with your life. All hail Lord Kivar!"  
  
"All hail Lord Kivar!" came the shout from many of the Aberjani, but Max noticed that most of the students looked confused and said nothing.  
  
_The trideka,_ he thought. _It's working, but it's going to get them killed unless they play along._  
  
"Say it," he hissed to the Aberjani trainees on either side of him. "Even if you don't mean it, just say it. Get the word out."  
  
Max felt his body sag in relief as the Aberjani on either side of him realized what he said made sense, and passed the word on. A swift perusal of the room showed him that Michael, Kyle and Zan had all realized the same thing, and were spreading the word as well. Suddenly a low chanting filled the room; growing louder and louder.  
  
"All hail Lord Kivar, all hail Lord Kivar!"  
  
"Lord Kivar has come here today to see if you are worthy to serve him, and this is how you react?" screamed General Kobodi. "You are not fit to wipe his boots! You will be lucky to be chosen to serve Lord Kivar."  
  
"All hail Lord Kivar, All hail Lord Kivar!" The chants filled the room growing louder and louder.  
  
"Silence!" roared General Kobodi. He and Kivar walked off of the platform, and exited the room, followed by the other Aberjani, leaving only the trainees in the room. As soon as the door closed, flashing lights filled the room, highlighting pictures of Kivar, and a piercing whistle began, causing many of the Aberjani, as well as most of the trainees to cover their ears and fall to their knees screaming.  
  
A movement up near the ceiling caught Max's eye, and he realized there was a small observation window, looking down on all of them. Squinting, he was able to make out the figures of Kivar and Kobodi, staring down at them. He felt a pushing at his mind, felt a voice telling him to stand up and show his support of Kivar.  
  
Max forced himself to ignore the lights, and the noise, and stood up.  
  
"Long live Lord Kivar! Kivar forever!" he shouted.  
  
One by one, the other Aberjani trainees dragged themselves to their feet, following Max's example. As soon as they all stood and were chanting, the lights dimmed, and the incessant screaming of the whistle ended, leaving the room in silence. The door opened, and Kobodi and Kivar walked back in.  
  
"That is better," said Kobodi. "What do you have to say for yourselves?"  
  
"We follow Lord Kivar," the trainees intoned. "We live and die for Kivar. All hail Lord Kivar."  
  
"We will meet again tomorrow at this time," said Kobodi. He turned and followed Kivar from the room, slamming the door behind them.  
  
"What the hell was that?" one of the trainees asked Max. Max said nothing, only giving a small shake of his head to indicate that this was neither the time, nor the place for that particular conversation.  
  
One by one, the trainees filed out of the room, and made their way to the student common area. After making sure that they were unobserved, the trainee who had spoken to Max earlier, grabbed him and shoved him against the wall.  
  
"Are you going to tell me now, what that was all about?" he yelled.  
  
"Are you going to keep your voice down?" said Max, "Or are you trying to get us all killed?"  
  
"I want some answers," said the trainee.  
  
"And you're assuming that _I_ have them?" asked Max, stalling for time.  
  
"Didn't you feel it?" asked Zan, moving to stand beside Max. "They were mind warping us, but I guess we were powerful enough to throw it off."  
  
"They weren't mind warping us," said the trainee, who's name was Quortoth. "Mind warping is illegal. Lord Kivar declared it. He said it was a tool used only by the royal family to guarantee our submission." He stopped, and Max could see the memories rushing back to him. "But that's not right. The royal family were the ones who declared that the use of mind control was to be seriously monitored. It was one of the things King Daronian, and later his son, King Zan both felt very strongly about. It wasn't the royal family that used mind control to rule is. It's Lord Kivar!"  
  
"Keep your voice down," said Zan. "Do you want them to know that we've figured that out?"  
  
"No," said Quortoth."  
  
"It's probably not safe for us to talk here. We should probably head outside if we're going to keep discussing this," added Michael, as he and Kyle moved forward to stand beside Max and Zan.  
  
"The courtyard of the Training Academy?" suggested another student. "If anybody asks, we can act like we're out there to train."  
  
"Good idea," said Max. "Let's go now, and we'll see what we can figure out."  
  
The Aberjani trainees moved outside to the courtyard, and lined up as if they were working out. As they moved, they discussed what had happened in the room with Kobodi."  
  
"I think you're all wrong," said one. "I didn't feel anything. Kivar is our true leader, and the royal family tried to oppress us."  
  
Kyle slid over next to the trainee and quickly checked to see if he was wearing any of the jewelry from Me'noyith's cart. His neck, ears, wrists and fingers were bare. Thinking fast, Kyle removed a platinum band he wore around his wrist. He grabbed the other trainee's hand and quickly shoved it onto his wrist."  
  
"Hey, what the hell are you doing?" the student shouted. Kyle quickly shifted his weight, and knocked the student's leg out from under him, causing him to fall.  
  
"A new fighting technique," Kyle explained.  
  
"Oh, it's," began the student. Kyle watched as the mind warps became clear in the student's mind and stepped back.  
  
"Do you see it now?" he asked.  
  
"What did you do?" the student asked. "How did you do that?"  
  
"There is a property in this metal that blocks the energy waves used in the mind control. I don't know how it works, but it does."  
  
"How do we know this isn't just another form of mind control?" asked another of the trainees. "How can we be certain you aren't trying to mind warp us."  
  
"You felt what Kobodi was trying to do to you. You could feel it pushing on your mind," explained Max. "Does it feel like that now?"  
  
"No," said Quortoth. "In fact, my mind feels clearer than it ever has before."  
  
"We need you to swear that you won't reveal this to anyone," said Michael. "We need to know we can trust you.  
  
"We can't afford to be innocent," said Quortoth. "Stand up and face the enemy. Kivar is our enemy!"  
  
"Do you all agree?" Max asked.  
  
One by one, the students agreed to keep the secrets revealed to them by Max and the others. They were all anxious to help, and wanted to know what they could do.  
  
"Right now, nothing," said Max. "Continue as if nothing has happened, and don't tell anybody. You'll know when things start to happen, I promise you, and you'll know exactly what to do."


	51. Chapter Fifty Plans Revealed

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Chapter Fifty – One** – _Plans Revealed__  
  
__Alex sat staring at the row of communicators on the table. Sometimes, he amazed even himself. Instead of the week Maria had given him, he made the communicators in a day. Uploading the song was simple too. The hardest task was getting them to 'talk to each other,' as Maria had put it, but he even managed to do that.__  
  
__"Damn, I'm_ good," he said to the empty room. Learning from his last work session in the lab, Alex quickly gathered up the communicators and stuffed them into a bag. _Not a moment too soon,_ he thought when there was a knock on the door.  
  
"Enter!" he shouted. Alex turned to see who it was, and was not very surprised to see Na'grat walk in.  
  
"I want to know everything," said Na'grat. "You used mind control on me, but you did it to protect me. Lord Kivar has always told us that he was the one that outlawed mind control, but I know that it isn't true. _HE_ is the one who is using it to control all of us and make us forget all the wonderful things King Zan was working towards. Why am I remembering all of this now? What's happening to me?"  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about," bluffed Alex.  
  
"Don't do that," said Na'grat. "Don't lie to me. We've had enough of that from Kivar."  
  
"Okay, did anything strange happen yesterday in the market place?" asked Alex.  
  
"You mean other than your trying to mind control me?" asked Na'grat. "No, we saw all that stuff in the market place, and you mind warped me, and that was it. Oh, wait," Na'grat said, suddenly. "Some crazy man was giving away all the jewelry on his cart. I took a necklace for my little sister. See, here it is," he reached under his collar and used one finger to lift up necklace around his neck."  
  
"Take it off for a second," said Alex. Na'grat complied, and handed the necklace to Alex. As soon as he did, his face went blank for a minute, and Alex could tell the mind warp was taking effect again.  
  
"Here, put this back on," he said, handing the necklace back to Na'grat. The Antarian boy settled the chain around his neck, and his expression cleared, almost at once.  
  
"It's amazing," he whispered. "The necklace has the power to stop the mind control. How can this be?"  
  
"Don't ask, don't tell, that's my motto," said Alex. "Well, mine and the United States Navy."  
  
"Something is going on, and I want to be a part of it," said Na'grat.  
  
"Look, Na'grat, can you just trust me on this. Sit tight. As soon as I know something I'll tell you, I promise."  
  
"Do you swear on the throne of King Zan?" demanded Na'grat.  
  
Alex got a visual image of him kneeling down before the toilet in Max's house and swearing. He tried to stifle the smile before looking Na'grat straight in the eyes.  
  
"Yes, I swear," he said.  
  
"Fine, then I will leave you, for now, but I won't forget your promise."  
  
"I never thought you would," Alex said to Na'grat's retreating back.  
  
After Na'grat left, Alex pulled out the weapon he was working on for the Aberjani. He picked up a small tool, and began to make a minor adjustment, while thousands of thoughts crowded his head. When the adjustment was finished, Alex picked up the weapon and looked through the site, while his finger rested on the trigger mechanism. He pictured Kivar standing in front of him, and pulled back on the trigger and smiled when the weapon gave a satisfying click.  
  
Alex reached over to put the weapon down when he was stuck with a sudden burst of inspiration. He looked through the site again, and noticed exactly where his hands touched the metal, and at his finger, resting on the trigger.  
  
_I've got it,_ he thought. _It's perfect, and so simple. I don't know why I didn't think of it until now?_  
  
Excited, he put the weapon back on the shelf, and ran out of the lab.  
  
That night, in the tunnel room, the group met anxiously, and everyone had a story to share about the student that had come out of the mind warp.  
  
"The thing I'm wondering about," said Alex, "Is when I took Na'grat's chain away, he was acting like he was mind warped again. Does that mean Kivar has people doing this full time, or something?"  
  
"He may," said Max. "And we found out today that it's possible to mind warp from a distance. Kobodi and Kivar did it today. They were in a small observation room, watching us, and throwing out mind warps like there was no tomorrow."  
  
"We should probably check with Che'koth about that," said Zan.  
  
"Yeah, and I need to get a supply of trideka from him as well," said Alex. "I had this positively brilliant idea earlier, but I need the trideka to make it work."  
  
"Gee Alex, I wish you wouldn't be so hard on yourself," said Maria. "You shouldn't be so critical of your ideas."  
  
"Play nice, Maria, or I won't give you the present I have for you," said Alex, dangling the bag of communicators front of her.  
  
"Presents for me?" asked Maria, clapping her hands together like a small child. "Oh goody. What did you get me?"  
  
"Michael, your wife is very, very weird," said Alex, tossing the bag to Maria.  
  
"Alex," said Maria after she opened the bag. "I can't believe you finished this already. You are such an over achiever."  
  
"Do we get to hear your fantastic plan now?" asked Kyle.  
  
"Hey, what about my fantastic plan?" asked Alex, pretending to be offended.  
  
"Alex, we know your plan really is going to be fantastic," said Kyle, "So we can wait on it for a few minutes. Maria's plan, on the other hand, is probably going to need a lot of work, so we should get started on it right away." He ducked as various items from around the room came flying in his direction, thrown by the female members of the group.  
  
"Hey, I was only kidding," he said. "Seriously, I do want to hear what you have planned, Maria."  
  
"Shut up, Son of Kit-Shicker," said Maria. "Or I'll have my husband hurt you."  
  
"Don't bring me into this," said Michael.  
  
"You I'll punish another way," said Maria, giving Michael a pointed look.  
  
"Oh," said Michael, when he realized what she meant. "Watch it Kyle, or I'll have to kill you."  
  
"Okay, what I'm thinking is this," said Maria. "We have these communicators, loaded with our song. We each have one to carry, and I want each one of us to place another in a strategic spot, around town, in the Training Academy, in the palace, you get the idea. Oh, yeah, and I'm going to return Jara Kobodi's to her, personally. When the time comes that we decide to move forward, I'll program the communicators to go into loudspeaker mode and start broadcasting the song all over the city. People are already starting to make a connection to the song, and the royal family. I think once they hear it playing, it will send them into a frenzy," she finished.  
  
"It's a good plan," said Kyle. "Simple, effective, and very little danger at all. It's my kind of plan."  
  
"Oh yea! We have the Kyle Valenti seal of approval," Maria said, dryly. "My life is now complete.  
  
"Now that I've fulfilled Maria, let's move on to Alex," said Kyle, before he realized how totally **wrong** his statement sounded.  
  
The group exploded with laughter, and Kyle's face flushed a dull red when he realized what he said.  
  
"Shut up," he said, "You know what I mean."  
  
"Valenti, you are such a geek," said Zan, slapping him on the back. "Alex, what's your plan?"  
  
"Well, I was thinking, passing out free jewelry is great way to get the modified trideka on the students, and maybe some of the adults, but I'm thinking that the Aberjani aren't big fashion mavens and don't wear jewelry."  
  
"You're right," said Zan. "Once you're a full fledged member of the Aberjani, you have to adhere to a strict dress code. Jewelry is **NOT**a part of the dress code."  
  
"That's what I figured," said Alex. "So anyhow, I was working on that stupid weapon Kivar wants, and I started thinking, why not load the grips, and the trigger mechanism with the modified trideka?"  
  
"Alex, that is brilliant," said Max, looking at his friend in awe. "Maria, don't get me wrong, your plan is fantastic, and will really spur the people on to action, but Alex, oh my God. You've found a way to bring down a large number of the Aberjani.  
  
"Alex Whitman, have I ever told you how much I love you," said Maria, squeezing his cheeks. "Max is right, my plan is great; no doubt about it, but yours is sneaky and subversive and totally awesome. Mine is a more in your face plan."  
  
"That is because you are an in your face kind of girl," said Che'koth from the tunnel entrance.  
  
"You know it, babe," said Maria, with a cheerful grin. "So what brings you to our humble, well, room. News, food, an overwhelming desire to just hang with us?"  
  
"All of the above," said Che'koth. He removed a bundle from his back and set it on the floor, and all kinds of food spilled out.  
  
"Ewww, what's this?" asked Maria, holding up a misshapen plastic container. She opened it up and screamed in delight.  
  
"Mom sent spaghetti sauce!" she shouted. "Please, please, please tell me you have some pasta in there too, or at least a loaf of bread to dunk."  
  
"Would this be what you're looking for?" asked Michael, holding up another large plastic container.  
  
"Forget the news, lets eat!" said Maria. She rummaged through Che'koth's bundle and found that that their parents hadn't sent any plates, or cutlery.   
  
"Oh hell, now what?" she said.  
  
"Maybe this will help," Che'koth said with a grin. He went back into the tunnel and came back with another small bundle. "I stopped at the café got some utensils and things. I was also instructed to guard this with my life." He rummaged through the large bundle and pulled out a long loaf of Italian bread, and another container.  
  
Maria squealed and grabbed the container and opened it. She grabbed the loaf of bread and a knife and sliced the bread. "Isabel, heat the sauce. Michael, warm the pasta. Liz, start giving everyone plates. Alex, your in charge of silverware." She poured the contents of the container onto the bread, and spread it with the knife. She put the bread on the table, and passed her hand over it, and it turned a toasted crispy brown."  
  
"Are we positively sure that Maria and Isabel aren't related somehow?" Kyle asked Michael. "I'm seeing a disturbing resemblance to the Christmas Nazi in her."  
  
"I heard that, Kyle," said Maria. "Now, shut up, sit down and eat, and there will be no talk of anything negative during this wonderful Italian meal!"  
  
"Majesty," said Che'koth, taking a seat next to Max. "I think it is very lucky that Maria is on **your** side. If she keeps acting like this, I fear that your General may soon be out of a job."


	52. Chapter 52 Operatio Invincible

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Chapter Fifty – Two** – _Operation Invincible _  
  
"Say, this is pretty good," said Zan, reaching for another piece of garlic bread. "So anyhow, I was thinking. This is a really big planet, right? And we're focusing all our efforts here in this one place. Is this the only city that Kivar took over?"  
  
"Hey!" said Maria, sharply. "I said none of that during dinner!"  
  
"Be reasonable, Maria. How can we **not** talk about it? It's the reason we're here," said Michael.  
  
"I know, I know. I just wanted to be normal for a while," Maria said.  
  
"Trust me, Maria," said Kyle. "You are not now, nor have you ever been what anybody could call normal."  
  
"True," said Maria, proudly. "Fine, carry on your soldier conversations," she continued. "Just don't expect me to participate."  
  
The others smiled at the thought of Maria staying out of _any_ conversation for very long. Zan repeated his earlier comments, and they all looked to Che'koth for an answer.  
  
"You know," he said with a sigh. "A lot of the questions you ask can be found in your memories, if only you would access them."  
  
"But they're so painful," said Isabel. "Che'koth, I saw how I died. It was terrible. I don't want any of the others to have to see anything like that."  
  
"Maybe they need to. Maybe you all need to," said Che'koth, his voice firmer than any of them had ever heard before. "You have to face what you fear, or it will control you. Is that what you want, any of you? But to answer your question, Zan, Kivar rules the whole planet, as did the royal family before they were overthrown."  
  
"Shit," said Max, banging the table forcefully. "We've only been focusing our energies here. We probably should have split up and gone to all the major cities around the planet."  
  
"No!" said Liz. "Max, you're wrong. We need to be here. All of us need to be here. This is where Kivar is. He is the direct threat to us, and our families back home. Remember them. They're why we came. It isn't about saving Antar, at least it wasn't when we came here. It was about protecting our families from the threat of the Aberjani. Remember Fred? He _died_ just because he was our friend. What do you think those bastards will do to our families if they ever get near them? And what about Jose? He's dead too."  
  
Max turned to Liz and put his arm around her, trying to comfort her, but she shook him off.  
  
"Liz, stop it," said Max, grabbing her by the arm. "I know why we're here, and I'll never, in a million years, forget about Fred, or Jose. But I think you're forgetting that to effectively take the danger off of our families, we don't have any choice but to destroy Kivar. Liz, come on, it's not like I'm saying we're going to stay here and rule for a thousand years or whatever. I just want to stop that bastard from ever hurting anybody I care about again."  
  
"If I may interrupt," said Che'koth. "I took the liberty of notifying our forces in all the major cities and strategic outposts of our plans. Everything that has been happening here has happened out there, including the posters with the handprints and the songs. We're a little  
behind on modifying the trideka, but slowly but surely, that's getting out there as well."  
  
"I should have thought of doing that," said Max. "I don't know where my head was."  
  
"Max, don't be so hard on yourself," said Che'koth. "You, all of you, have done remarkably well. Your plans have been well thought out, and well executed. You've been incredibly successful to date, and I don't see any reason why you shouldn't continue to carry on exactly the way you have."  
  
"No, there's no excuse," said Max, bowing his head. "It's no wonder Kivar managed to overthrow my throne before. Obviously, I'm not capable of managing it."  
  
"Stop it, now!" roared Che'koth. "You were an excellent king, and your only fault was that you wanted so much to make your world even better than it was. Do you honestly think your father would have allowed you to take the throne if he didn't think you were worthy?"  
  
"What do you mean, allow him to take the throne?" asked a puzzled Isabel. "Wouldn't he have to die for Max, I mean Zan to take the throne?"  
  
"Not at all," said Che'koth. "Your father was ready to step down, which is a perfectly acceptable practice. It allowed Zan to take the throne, but the King remained as consul for him."  
  
"Well, where is he?" demanded Isabel. "What happened to him, and to our mother? Were they killed in the uprising?"  
  
"Nobody knows," Che'koth lied. "The King disappeared one day, shortly before the uprising took place. His body was never found."  
  
"And our mother?" Max asked softly, reaching across the table to hold Isabel's hand.  
  
"She is in hiding," explained Che'koth. "Nobody knows where she is. She worked closely with the science team that spearheaded the cloning program that helped to create you, but once the ship was sent to Earth, she dropped from site."  
  
"Do – do you know where she is?" Zan asked. At Zan's question, Max turned to look at him, and was shocked to see the glimmer of unshed tears in Zan's eyes.  
  
"No, but even if I did, I wouldn't tell you," said Che'koth. "Kivar has a bounty on her head. She was a very beautiful woman. She looks much like Isabel normally does. For a long time, after the bounty was announced, every beautiful blond woman was suspect."  
  
"So they could both be alive or dead, and we'll never know?" asked Max.  
  
"You never know what the future will hold?" Che'koth said cryptically.  
  
Something in his voice aroused Liz's suspicion, and she turned her head quickly to look at Che'koth, and was shocked by the love she saw in his eyes while he looked at Max.  
  
"Well, not to sound like that evil mind warping hell beast we called Tess, but what do we do now, Max?" asked Isabel, trying to change the subject.  
  
"I have an idea," said Liz, suddenly. "But I'll need Che'koth to help me. Max, remember when we go to school this fall. All the fraternities and sororities that were pledging had huge sheets hanging from their houses with signs painted on them?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm with you, I think," said Max. "Go on."  
  
"Why can't we make something like that, but on a bigger scale?"  
  
"Bigger?" asked Michael, "How much bigger?"  
  
"Big enough to hang from the palace roof," said Liz with a grin. "Che'koth, that's where you and your people would come in, but I want to be there when it goes up."  
  
"It will be very dangerous," Che'koth said to Liz, hoping to dissuade her. It wasn't that he didn't think Liz was up to that type of mission, but something in her eyes made him very wary.  
  
"Don't worry," she said. "I can take care of myself."  
  
"Liz," Max interjected. "There's just one thing. Something like that will really cause an uproar. I'm kind of thinking maybe we should save it for when we're ready to cause an all out war."  
  
"Yeah, you might be right," she agreed, and watched, as Che'koth seemed to visibly sag with relief. "But I still have a few things I need to discuss with Che'koth, and I think tonight would be a good time to do it. So I'll tell you what, Maria, don't you have some other inflammatory song snippet to share? I'll work with Che'koth's group tonight to get them printed and posted."  
  
"Yeah, I was thinking," said Maria. "Iz, what did you burn into the throne room floor, again?"  
  
"And with the power of conviction, there is no sacrifice. It's a do or die situation, we will be invincible," said Isabel.  
  
"Perfect. That's what we need to get out to the people next. And Alex, can you make me one more communicator?" Maria asked.  
  
"Yeah, but why? You weren't happy with the twenty or so that I already made?"  
  
"Jerk. Of course I'm happy. I'm ecstatic, even, but I want to give on to Che'koth, so his people can make copies to send out to all the other rebel groups."  
  
"What did I tell you," said Che'koth, leaning closer to Max. "Michael better watch out, or she'll be taking his place as second in command. Of course, if she's not interested in the job, I think your wife could fill the position as well."  
  
The group strategized for a while longer, drawing up a tentative schedule and battle plans. Max passed copies to everyone and stood before the group, a true leader at last.  
  
"Any questions?" he asked. When nobody responded he continued. "I want all of you to go over this again and again. Draw up every possible scenario you can. We need to think of every possible thing that can happen, or go wrong. Tomorrow, we'll meet back here, and go over everything together. Then I want to make up a time line and set everything into motion. Any questions?"  
  
Everyone shook their heads, and Max smiled.  
  
"Okay then, Che'koth, I want this sent out to everyone in your organization. In _our_ organization. Operation Invincible began today! Antar will be free again!"


	53. Chapter 53 Chaos

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Chapter Fifty-Three** – _Chaos _  
  
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Che'koth asked Liz after the others left the room.  
  
"We need to talk," said Liz.  
  
"Majesty, I'm going to ask you again," said Che'koth. "Are you sure you want to do this?" He looked at her, and Liz saw pain, love, and loss in his eyes.  
  
"I think I need to," she said, softly.  
  
"Do you?"  
  
"If I ask, will you tell me the truth?"  
  
"I have never, nor will I ever lie to you, Liz. I won't lie to any of you. But, let me ask you this. Do you think the others are capable of dealing with the answers right now? And if they are not, are you capable of keeping the truth from them?"  
  
Liz thought hard about what she suspected, and how the information would affect Max and Isabel.  
  
"May I ask you two questions, Che'koth?"  
  
"Majesty, you know I can deny you nothing," Che'koth answered with a sad grin, afraid at what her questions would be.  
  
"Okay then, my first question. Is this your true appearance?" Liz asked.  
  
Che'koth was puzzled at the seemingly innocuous question, but he answered her truthfully.  
  
"No, Liz, it is not," he said.  
  
"Will you please show me what you really look like?" she asked.  
  
Che'koth smiled broadly at her second question and passed his hand across his face. Liz looked at him, and smiled, and he waved his hand over his face again and returned to his original appearance.  
  
"Thank you," Liz said, quietly. "Now, let's get to work."  
  
Liz and Che'koth worked tirelessly through the night, along side the other resistance fighters. They plastered the city with posters that had not only the excerpt from the song, but each poster also bared the images of Max, Isabel, Michael and Ava, standing with their fists upraised.  
  
"Do you think that is wise?" Che'koth asked.  
  
"Probably not," admitted Liz, "But we need to get moving on this. I want to get people really talking, and I think this will do it."  
  
"Talking, they're going to be in an uproar when they see these," laughed.  
  
"Do you think it's too much?" Liz asked, suddenly worried. "Do you think they look too much like Ma'nith, Isadra, Mesch and Atara?"  
  
"No, they look exactly like Max, Isabel, Michael and Ava, and nothing like the persona's they've adopted here on Antar," said Che'koth. "It is a wise move, and one I would have made myself."  
  
"Che'koth, all this time, you've never once told us what to do, or how to do it. I mean, you've given us suggestions," said Liz, "But never once have you said that we should do it this way, or that way. Why?"  
  
"All of you Liz, are leaders, and true leaders can't be told how to lead. They can be show the way, but whether they chose that way is always up to them. How successful do you think I would have been had I told you what to do?"  
  
"Not very," Liz admitted. "It's just that sometimes,"  
  
"Sometimes it would be nice to have an adult tell you what to do," said Che'koth.  
  
"Exactly," Liz said.  
  
"Well then, I promise you, if you ever stay up past your bedtime, I'll tell you to go to bed, but other than that, you're on your own. Now, can you get the rest of these put up in the Training Academy?" Che'koth asked, pointing to a stack of flyers.  
  
"I don't think it will be a problem, especially since Max and probably Maria will be waiting for me to get back," said Liz.  
  
"They're good friends," said Che'koth.  
  
"The best," Liz answered.  
  
"Be safe, little one," said Che'koth at the entrance of the tunnel. He pressed a kiss on her head, and watched as she ran down the dark expanse of the tunnel, the flyers under her arm."  
  
"I don't think I want to go in there," Liz said to Ava outside the entrance to the dining hall. "It sounds like a madhouse in there."  
  
"Liz, those pictures were a stroke of genius," Ava said, propelling Liz through the door. "That, coupled with the trideka breaking all the mind warps ought to really have people talking."  
  
"Ava, that's not talking in there, that's screaming," said Liz, her expression worried.  
  
"Yeah well, screaming or not, I'm hungry, lets go get something to eat," said Ava. She linked her arm through Liz's, and dragged her into the dining hall.  
  
They entered the room to find that total chaos had broken out. Students were screaming and throwing things across the dining hall. Everywhere the two girls turned, people waved posters.  
  
"Did you really make that many of them?" Ava asked.  
  
"No, I didn't," said a shocked Liz. "Oh my God, they must be making their own. Ava, maybe this was a mistake, a huge, giant mistake."  
  
"It was no mistake," Ava said, her voice filled with steel. "It's just what we needed. Now grab some food and go over to where Maria's sitting. We're drawing attention to ourselves standing here."  
  
"I don't think anyone is even noticing us," Liz said, making her way to the food line.  
  
"Yeah we are, your new friend Varonia looks like she wants to kill you, but that gives me a great idea," said Ava.  
  
"Someone wanting to kill me gives you an idea," said Liz. "I don't think I like this very much."  
  
"Listen, just take a few minutes picking out your food. Give me a second to go talk to Maria, and then, take the long route to our table, and whatever you do, make sure you stop and talk to that witch. Okay?"  
  
"Okay," said Liz. She watched Ava speed away towards Maria, and turned back to the serving line, and took her time picking out her meal.  
  
After several minutes had elapsed, she made a circuitous route to Maria's table, pausing next to Varonia to say hello.  
  
"Don't even talk to me, traitor," snapped Varonia. "I know you did this, and I'm going to find a way to prove it, too."  
  
"Look, I don't know what you're talking about," said Liz. "I came over here to make an effort to put our differences behind us, but you're just not giving me the chance."  
  
"I don't want anything to do with you, scum," began Varonia. She opened her mouth to spew more of her venom in Liz's direction, but stopped when the sound of music drowned out the yelling in the dining hall.  
  
Liz stared in shocked amazement as Pat Benatar's voice rang out through the dining hall, singing the excerpt that was printed on the poster. As suddenly as it started, the music ended.  
  
"How did you do that?" Varonia shouted, grabbing Liz's arm.  
  
"Varonia, stop it," cried another girl, trying to pull Varonia's arm off of Liz. "She didn't do anything, she was standing right here in front of you. Maybe **you're** the one that's wrong. Did you ever think of that?"  
  
"I'm not wrong. I'm not," said Varonia.  
  
"Well if sure you're not wrong, then I'm sure you must be crazy," said another girl. "It's obvious you're just jealous of Lan, and everything she's achieved. Lan, I'm sorry we ever listened to her," she added, smiling at Liz.  
  
"Thanks," Liz said softly. She smiled at the group, Varonia included, and then walked to the table where Maria, Ava and Isabel were waiting.  
  
"How did you do that?" she asked as soon as she sat down.  
  
"I had Alex explain how these things worked, and I set it up just to play that one little bit, and only in here. I figured it would get the Antarian Pam Troy off your back," explained Maria. "So, did it work?"  
  
"Yes and no, her friends think I'm innocent, but she's just as certain that I had something to do with it."  
  
"I could mind warp her," said Ava, hesitantly.  
  
"Don't bother," said Isabel. "She's not worth it. You're going to have trouble makers like that no matter where you go. The best thing we can do is ignore her."  
  
"I'd rather kill her," said Maria, darkly.  
  
"Attention, attention, may I have your attention please," came the Directors voice over that of the crowds. "All classes have been cancelled today. Again, all classes have been cancelled for today. Students are to remain on the grounds at all times. No students will be allowed in town today."  
  
Cheers filled the room, and students began running for the doors. They ran past the faculty members that were trying to block their exit from the school, but the students only pushed right past them and ran out into the courtyard and down towards the marketplace.  
  
"Tunnel?" Maria asked the others. Ava quickly agreed, but Isabel and Liz both shook their heads.  
  
"I think since classes are cancelled, this would be an excellent opportunity to go to the diplomatic headquarters at the palace, and perhaps drop off a few things. She patted her pocket where the communicators were hidden.  
  
"I think I'm going to head to the lab and work on the guidance system some more. Besides, my pal is still watching, and it may look a little less suspicious if I go there today."  
  
The others agreed that Liz's plan made sense. They quickly bolted their food and left the dining hall. Maria, Ava went in one direction, while Isabel went to locate her diplomacy instructor and get permission to go to the palace. Liz walked towards the lab, while Varonia trailed behind her, keeping to the shadows.


	54. Chapter 54 Is it Liz, or is it Buffy?

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.  
  
**Chapter Fifty-Four** – _Is it Liz, or is it Buffy? _  
  
Plash Nevenia greeted Liz when she walked into the lab. She pulled out a chair and motioned for Liz to join her.  
  
"Good morning, Liz," Plash said. "How do you fare today?"  
  
"Tired," said Liz with a yawn.  
  
"Why don't you go and rest, since our esteemed Director has cancelled classes today?"  
  
"No, I need to work on the guidance system. Besides, if I wasn't doing that, I'd be helping the others, and that's not such a great idea right now."  
  
"Why?" queried Plash. "Is something wrong?"  
  
"Just my new not best friend Varonia. She's so certain that I'm behind everything that's going on. It gets a bit annoying after a while."  
  
"Well, don't look now," said Plash, glancing up into the mirror that was above her head. She's looking in the doorway right now."  
  
Liz looked up into the mirror, and saw the reflection of Varonia, peering in the window.  
  
"Oh, for Pete's sake," she said. "I've had enough of this!" Liz jumped off the stool, and ran across the room and opened the door before Varonia had a chance to react. She reached out and grabbed the girl, and slammed her against the wall. Violence was not part of Liz's nature, and the anger she felt coursing through her body scared her. She decided, however, to use the unfamiliar emotions to her benefit.  
  
"What the hell is your problem, Varonia?" she asked in an uncharacteristically harsh voice.  
  
"Don't hurt me. Please don't hurt me?" the Antarian girl whimpered.  
  
"Don't hurt you?" Liz asked, her voice incredulous. "What about what you're doing to me. You're spreading vicious rumors about me, and now, your stalking me. You are sick Varonia, and if you don't leave me alone, I swear, you're going to regret it!"  
  
"Elandra, Varonia, what's going on here? What is the meaning of this?" yelled the Director, coming down the hall.  
  
"She attacked me, Director," shouted Varonia.  
  
"Elandra, is this true?" asked the Director.  
  
"Maybe you'd better get the full story," said Liz, pushing Varonia against the wall a bit harder. "I went up to Varonia today, in good faith, trying to come to some sort of understanding, and she started spewing her venom again. And **THEN**!" Liz said, her voice growing louder, "After that music came on, even though I was standing right there in front of her, she blamed me for it. Then she followed me down the hall, and is spying on my work." Suddenly, inspiration struck Liz. "How can I be sure she isn't some sort of spy, working against Lord Kivar? Maybe she's spying on the guidance system, and trying to deflect attention off of herself by accusing me!"  
  
"Is this true, Varonia?" the Director asked. "Did you spy on Elandra?"  
  
"No, I,"  
  
"She did, Director," said Plash Nevenia, joining the conversation. "In fact, it was I who saw her peering through the door. I think it would be best if her father was notified."  
  
"Yes, I agree, Plash Nevenia," said the Director. He reached out and took Varonia by the arm. "You will come with me."  
  
"No, you're wrong, it's not me!" Varonia shouted. "It's Elandra, she's the one working against Lord Kivar. "My family is loyal to Lord Kivar!"  
  
"Well, we will have a discussion with your family," said the Director. "Come with me."  
  
Liz and Plash watched as the Director dragged a kicking and screaming Varonia down the hall, before returning to the lab.  
  
"Well, that was kind of fun," said Liz. "But I really don't want her to get into any trouble."  
  
"She won't," said Plash. "The Director said he'd contact her father, and he will. And her father will handle it."  
  
"Good, that's one less problem for us to deal with," said Liz, sitting back down at the table. "Now if I can just get the guidance system to work, I should be all set."  
  
"I was thinking about that," said Plash. "Why not modify it so that it ignores specific DNA, instead of focusing on it. Can you do that?"  
  
"That's what I've been working on," said Liz. "But no matter what I do, wait! I've got it!" she shouted. She grabbed a piece of paper and began to scribble frantically. "Why didn't I see this before? It's so simple."  
  
Plash watched indulgently while Liz wrote and erased and wrote some more. Finally when she was finished, she threw her pen on the table and blew out a heavy breath. "Done," she said with a sigh. "Man, this must be my day for epiphanies. First I figure out the _perfect_ way to get Varonia off my back, and then, I figure this out. We don't want to create a guidance system for a weapon, we want to make a sensor for what the weapon fires, so that it can track, or **not** track a specific target."  
  
"Liz, are you sure?" asked Plash. "Do you want me to go to Kobodi with this?  
  
"Yeah," said Liz. "I think even he's smart enough to see that we can't manufacture a weapon to do what he wants, but we can modify the energy bolts, or bullets or whatever their going to fire to do what they want."  
  
Liz suddenly realized what she was saying, and she sat quickly, feeling the blood rush from her face.  
  
"Listen to me!" she cried. "I'm getting excited about finding a way to kill my husband and friends."  
  
"No, you're excited because you solved a problem, Liz," said Plash, rubbing Liz's shoulders. "You weren't thinking in terms of who it would hurt, and in fact, you found a way to have it not track a certain target. You've saved them, Liz, not destroyed them."  
  
Plash's words made a logical kind of sense to Liz, but they didn't touch the pain that filled her soul. She leaned against the wall of the lab and cried and cried.  
  
Isabel, dressed in her diplomatic garb walked through the gates of the palace, smiling as she remembered the market area covered with posters. _Liz really went all out,_ she thought to herself.  
  
Once inside the palace, Isabel quickly made her way to the diplomatic offices. She removed her cloak, checking to make sure the communicators were hidden deep within the extra pocket she had sewn into the lining.  
  
"Greetings Isadra," said the Ambassador with a smile. "I did not expect to see you here today."  
  
"The Director cancelled classes for today," she explained to the Ambassador. "There was a bit of a problem at the Training Academy, so I thought since I had some free time, I could come here and get some work done. Of course, it doesn't every really seem like work, when I'm doing things for you," she added with a flirtatious smile. "I always learn so much from you, Ambassador."  
  
"Ah, Isadra," the Ambassador roared with laughter. "You have the makings of a fine diplomat. You know just how to mix sincerity with flattery. But we have plenty of work for you today. Lord Kivar is quite angry at what has been going on in town, and it's going to take all of our skill to convince him not to allow his anger to color his opinion of the treaties he is going over today."  
  
"Of course you won't want me involved in that," said Isabel, trying to keep the fear out of her voice. She didn't want any part of seeing Kivar again. "It's far to difficult a task for a trainee like me to be involved with."  
  
"Nonsense," said the Ambassador. "You will be fine. Besides, you'll only be assisting me, not actually discussing anything with Lord Kivar. I think seeing your beautiful face will be just the thing he needs to distract him from the whole situation."  
  
"You said it's only going on in town, is that correct, Ambassador?" asked Isabel.  
  
The Ambassador looked around furtively, making sure nobody else was around. "Actually," he said, lowering his voice to a whisper. "It's been happening all over the planet. I don't know who is doing and, and I don't know how, but everything that has happened here, has happened in every major city on Antar. It's also happening in the smaller towns and villages, but on a lesser scale. Lord Kivar is up in arms about it."  
  
"Maybe I really should just stay out of the way," said Isabel. "Why don't I stay here, and make sure all of the paperwork is taken care of."  
  
"Don't be silly, Isadra," said the Ambassador. "I want you to familiarize yourself with the information in these diplomatic transmissions. When you've finished, we'll meet Lord Kivar in the Great Hall."  
  
Isabel sighed, but realized there wasn't anything she could do about it. She waited until the Ambassador left the room, and then went to her cloak and removed several of the communicators. She slipped them into various parts of her diplomatic uniform, then settled down to read the latest transmissions.


	55. Chapter 55 At the Palace

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Chapter Fifty – Five** – _At the Palace_

Isabel had just finished modifying her appearance slightly when the Ambassador walked in.

"Are you ready, Isadra?" he asked.

_To go to my probable death?_ she thought to herself. _No, I don't think so._ "Yes," she said, giving the Ambassador a dazzling smile. "I think this will be very interesting."

She followed the Ambassador out of the diplomatic offices and down the hallway to the Great Hall.

"Isadra, wait here," said the Ambassador, shoving her into a chair. "I left something in our offices."

"Wouldn't it make more sense for me to go back and get it, Sir?" Isabel asked. "It's what I'm here for."

"No, no, you stay here," said the Ambassador. "To be perfectly honest, Lord Kivar doesn't want anybody without special clearance wandering around the palace. He still hasn't found out who defaced the throne room."

"Oh," said a subdued Isabel. "In that case, I'll just sit here, and not move a muscle."

"Wise decision, my Dear," said the Ambassador.

Isabel watched as he strode down the hall, and out of site. She looked around the hall, and considered hiding a communicator there, but decided against it. The sound of voices drew her attention, and Isabel became aware of voices coming from behind a half closed door across the hall.

"Damn it, they're here, I tell you!" shouted a voice Isabel recognized as Kivar's. "Why can't you find them?"

"Lord Kivar, my people have searched everywhere. They are not here. I promise you. This is simply the working of a bunch of rabble-rousers. The royal four are still on Earth," came the answer from a voice Isabel identified as Kobodi's. "Perhaps if Princess Vilondra were to address the people, they would see that this has nothing to do with the return of the royal four."

"You know she cannot speak," said Kivar in a deadly voice. "However, the next prototype should be ready soon. She will address the people, but I don't want to wait that long. I received word today that the work on the guidance system for our weapon is nearly complete. Actually Plash Nevenia informed me that instead of a new guidance system, they've found a way to create a sensor that will direct the energy bolts to their target. Now if your people could simply track down, Zan and the others, my problems would be over."

The door opened, and Isabel saw Kivar, and behind him, Kobodi, preparing to exit the room. She shrank back against the chair, hoping against hope that they wouldn't notice her, but it was to no avail.

"You there, what are you doing?" Kivar demanded when he drew abreast of where Isabel sat.

"I'm Isadra," said Isabel, drawing herself up straighter. She was not going to allow herself to be cowed by Kivar. "I'm a member of the diplomatic trainees from the Training Academy. The Ambassador and I were on our way to the Great Hall for a meeting, when he realized that he forgot something. He told me to sit in this chair, and not leave this spot."

"Take care of her!" Kivar ordered, and Isabel forced herself to look directly at Kivar, not showing any fear at all. "Wait!" he said, turning to Kivar. "I admire her spirit. Don't kill her, simply erase this episode from her mind."

"As you wish, Lord Kivar," said Kobodi.

He stared at Isabel, and gave her mind a shove. Isabel felt him trying to warp her mind, and she played along. When he was done, he grabbed her by the arm.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I don't have to answer you," Isabel said in a haughty voice. "You are a member of the palace cleaning staff. I am a member of the diplomatic corp. Unhand me this instant."

"Excellent," Kivar murmured. "Come along, there is much work to be done," he said, turning to Kobodi.

Isabel watched as the two walked down the hall, and fell back into the chair, shaking with fear.

"Isadra, are you okay?" asked the Ambassador, and Isabel jumped with fright, unaware of his arrival.

"Yes," she said, her voice still shaking. "Some members of the palace cleaning staff just accosted me, wanting to know why I was here."

"What did you do?" asked the Ambassador. He had just seen Lord Kivar, and General Kobodi, and both of them let him know of their displeasure at finding one of his staff sitting in the hallway, alone."

"I told them I was a member of the diplomatic corp, and didn't have to answer to them," said Isabel. "But after they left, I fell apart. I don't like confrontations, Ambassador."

"Nor do I," said the Ambassador, pleased to hear that Isabel's story matched that of Lord Kivar and Kobodi. He was fond of the girl, and didn't want to have to kill her for being a spy. "Come along," he said. "We have much work to do."

A still shaking Isabel stood up, and followed the Ambassador down the corridor to the Great Hall, her mind on the conversation she had overheard.

Once in the Great Hall, the Ambassador walked to the table that had been set up in the middle of the room. He sat down in a chair, and instructed Isabel to sit at a small table directly behind him.

"Lord Kivar will be here in a few minutes, and we will go over the treaties," he instructed. "You are simply to sit, and observe, and hand me the different treaties as I require."

"Of course, Ambassador," said Isabel. "I only hope I don't disappoint you. Lord Kivar is quite an imposing figure. I'm still rather nervous at the thought of even being in his presence."

"Isadra, you will do fine," said the Ambassador. "I would not have chosen you for this assignment if I didn't think you were capable. Simply push your fears down inside, and pretend you are an actress on a stage. You will be fine."

Kivar walked into the Great Hall as the Ambassador finished speaking, and joined him at the large table.

"Good day, Ambassador," said Kivar.

"Good day, Lord Kivar," answered the Ambassador, standing up. "Allow me to present to you once more, the latest addition to my diplomatic staff. This is Isadra, she is a student at the Training Academy."

Kivar stood up and walked over to the table where Isabel stood.

"Good morning, Isadra," said Kivar with Isabel considered an evil smile. "How are you on this beautiful morning."

"Good morning, Lord Kivar," said Isabel, bowing her head slightly. "I am honored to be in your presence."

"And why is that?" asked Kivar.

"You have done such wonderful things for the people of our world," she said, flashing him blinding smile. "I decided long ago that it would be a great privilege to serve you in any capacity possible. When I was chosen to be a member of the diplomatic corp, it was like a dream come true for me."

"Your loyalty will be well rewarded, Isadra," said Kivar, satisfied that the mind warp was working. "Please, everyone, be seated. Let us work on these treaties. I have other things I need to accomplish today."

Kivar and the Ambassador sat down at the large table, and Isabel took a seat at the small table behind the Ambassador.

"Ambassador," said Kivar. "Tell your assistant to join us at the table. She will learn nothing hovering behind you like that."

"Isadra, you heard Lord Kivar," said the Ambassador. "Please join us."

Isabel gathered up the paperwork and took a seat next to the Ambassador, and listened while the two men discussed the treaties on the table before them. When they were finished, Isabel quickly gathered up the paperwork, and waited quietly to leave.

"Ambassador, I have a few things I want to discuss with you, privately. "Isadra, please feel free to wander around the Great Hall, and the Gallery, but don't go any further," said Kivar.

"Yes, Lord Kivar," said Isabel, bowing her head subserviently.

"If it would please you, Lord Kivar, Isadra has some work waiting for her in the diplomatic offices. With your permission, may she also have access to our rooms so that she may get her work done?" asked the Ambassador.

"Of course, Ambassador. Far be it from me to keep your assistant from her work. Please feel free to examine the gallery at your leisure, Isadra," Kivar added, addressing Isabel.

"Thank you Lord Kivar." She gathered up the paperwork and prepared to leave. She returned to the diplomatic offices, and quickly finished her work and prepared to leave.

Isabel made sure as many people as possible saw her when she left the palace. Once she was out of the palace, she ducked into an alley, and changed her appearance, and snuck back into a palace grounds through a side entrance Che'koth had told her about.

She carefully made her way to the guard quarters, where she hid a communicator inside a small niche in a rock wall. From there, she made her way back into the palace. Once inside, she kept to the shadows, hiding the communicators in a variety of places, including the grand ballroom. She toyed with the idea of returning to the throne room, but decided against it, in case Kivar was having it watched.

She walked down a long corridor, trying to remain in the shadows when she saw a figure up ahead.

_Oh God,_ she thought. _Who is that up there?_ Even as she thought the words, the figure ahead of her turned around and walked towards her. Isabel felt the blood leave her face when she came face to face with her double.

Taking a chance, she passed her hand over her face, and restored her appearance. The double looked at her curiously, and first touched her own face, then reached out to touch Isabel's.

"Yes," said Isabel, softly. "You're me. It's very confusing, isn't it?" Acting without conscious thought, Isabel fired an energy bolt into her double's chest, causing her to fall unconscious to the floor. Grabbing her under the arms, Isabel dragged her into a nearby room. She locked the door behind her and surveyed the room. She smiled when she saw a large armoire against a wall. Quickly, she removed the clothing from her double and stripped off her own clothes. She dressed in the double's clothing, and then carried her to the armoire and locked her inside, along with her clothing.

"I hope you'll be okay in there," she said. She grabbed the communicators in their bag, and then schooled her features into the vacant mask worn by her double.

Feeling very afraid, Isabel stole back out into the hallway, and resumed her surveillance. She managed to place two more of the communicators before a large hand fell heavily onto her shoulder. Fighting back the urge to scream, she turned around and looked directly into the eyes of Kivar.


	56. Chapter 56 Happenings at the Palace

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Chapter Fifty – Six** – _Happenings at the Palace _

"I've been searching for you, my love," said Kivar. "It isn't safe for you to wander around the palace like this. Come with me, I will take you back to our rooms."

Isabel allowed herself to be taken by the arm, and led down a dark hallway. Kivar stopped outside a door, and opened it and led Isabel inside. Isabel stopped in shock when she entered the large chamber. She allowed her eyes to search the room, recalling the time when her parents, Vilondra's parents, shared it.

_That pig,_ she thought. _How dare he defile their room like that._

"Come my love," said Kivar, his voice heavy with lust. "I desire you." He swept Isabel up into his arms and carried her over to the luxuriously draped bed.

_Oh, God!_ Isabel thought. _How the hell am I going to get out of this one. I'll kill him before I let him touch me._

"I'm going to miss you, pet," said Kivar, lying next to her on the bed. He ran his fingers through her long golden hair, releasing it from its bonds. Her golden curls cascaded down around her shoulders. He filled his hands with the silken mass, and brought it to his face.

"So soft, just like you," he whispered. "Come love, touch me."

Hesitantly, Isabel brought her hand to his chest. _Do I kill him, now?_ she thought. She was just about to do it, when his communicator gave a short ring.

"Lord Kivar, this is General Kobodi. "We're waiting for you in the Great Hall."

Kivar growled in anger and rolled away from Isabel. He grabbed his communicator and spoke into it.

"I'll be there in fifteen minutes!" he roared into the communicator.

"Aye, my Lord," answered Kobodi.

_That answers my question,_ thought Isabel. _If I kill him now, and he doesn't show up to his meeting with Kobodi, they'll come looking for him. I'd never make it out of the palace._

"Come here love," said Kivar, rolling towards her. We don't have much time. He reached down and took her hand and placed it back on her chest. Isabel reacted quickly and fired a bolt of energy into his chest, knocking him into unconsciousness.

Jumping off the bed, she quickly hid one of the communicators in the room and turned for the door. At the last second, she ran back to the bed, and yanked several hairs from Kivar's head.

Isabel opened the door, and looked up and down the hall, to make sure she was unobserved before dashing down the hall. She located the room where she had left her double and ran inside. She quickly stripped off the clothing that she wore and slipped back into her own clothing.

She dressed her double, and used her powers to wake her back up, and led her down the hall back to the room where the unconscious Kivar waited. She opened the door, and pushed the double inside and pushed her towards the bed. Isabel closed the door behind her and raced down the hallway. As she ran, she changed her appearance back to that if Isadra. She found the gallery and went inside, trying to slow her breathing as she did.

Isabel viewed the pictures in the gallery with horror, for most of them showed Kivar and herself in various poses.

_As if,_ she thought to herself. She waited several more minutes, until her breathing slowed, and her face no longer felt flushed. She opened the door to the gallery and stepped out into the hallway, directly into the path of Kivar.

"E-excuse me, Lord Kivar," she stammered. "I was just looking at the pictures in the gallery. Thank you so much for your kind and generous invitation."

"Isadra, is it not?" asked Kivar. "The diplomatic apprentice?"

"Yes, Lord Kivar," said Isabel, nodding her head.

"Tell me, young lady, have you seen anything strange since you've been in the palace?"

Isabel felt her heart begin to race with fear. "No, Lord Kivar," she said. "But I've spent the last half hour in the gallery. Nobody came in there."

"Thank you, Isadra," said Kivar, turning away. "Tell me," he said, turning back to face her. "What was your favorite picture?"

"I enjoyed the picture of you, in your military uniform, walking in the garden with Queen Vilondra," Isabel lied.

"And why is that," asked Kivar.

"Because while I can still see you as a formidable leader, what is more apparent is the love you share with the Queen."

"Thank you, Isadra," said Kivar, pleased with her answer. "The Ambassador is right, you will go far as a diplomat. Your answer was truthful, as well as flattering." He reached out and took Isabel by the arm. "I am however going to ask you to leave the palace. We have an intruder in here, and are about to conduct a room by room search. I do not want you to be accosted by any of my guardsmen. I trust, Isadra, that as a diplomat, you know the judiciousness of not repeating this information to anyone."

"Should anyone think to ask Lord Kivar, I can honestly tell them that you and I discussed the artwork in the gallery," said Isabel with a smile.

"Very wise, indeed," said Kivar. He escorted her to the palace entrance and watched as she exited the gates passed the Aberjani trainees that were coming to search the palace, and walked back to town.

"I want a complete search of the palace," said General Kobodi. "Each team has been assigned an area of the palace. Do not leave the sector you have been assigned, unless it is to return back here. We had an intruder here today. Surveillance showed a black haired woman enter the palace this morning, but we have yet to see her leave. Find her, and bring her to me!"

"Who do you think it was?" Kyle asked Max as the two entered the palace.

"I'm guessing Isabel," said Max. "Maria said Liz was going to work in the lab today, and that Isabel was going to try and do some of her diplomatic stuff to gain access to the palace."

"Well, if it was Isabel, you can stop worrying," said Kyle. "There she is, right now."

They watched Isabel pass under the palace gates and head towards town.

"Guess we found our intruder," Max whispered to Kyle. "_And_ we know that she got out okay."

"It will make searching that much more fun," said Kyle. "We can poke around and see what we can find. And maybe hide a few of Maria's communicators while we're searching," he added.

"You have been given your assignments!" shouted General Kobodi. "I expect no deviation from them. Is that clear?"

"Yes, General!" shouted the Aberjani and the Aberjani trainees alike.

"What sector did we get?" Kyle asked.

Max looked down at their assignment, and struggled not to explode with laughter.

"You'll never, in a million years believe me if I tell you," said Max.

"Try me," said Kyle.

"How does the throne room grab you?" said Max.

"No way. No freaking way," said Kyle. "Damn, because I was thinking we'd sneak in there and leave a communicator."

"Yeah, me too," said Max. "We just can't catch a break, can we?"

"It's okay," said Kyle. "We don't need to catch a break, we can make our own."

"Is that more of your Buddha stuff?" Max asked.

"N'ah, I got it in a fortune cookie one time," deadpanned Kyle.

Max gave Kyle a quick shove, knocking him slightly off balance as the two entered the main foyer of the castle. Following the directions they had been given, the two quickly made their way to the throne room. Max put his hand out to open the door, then stopped.

"Want me to go first?" said Kyle.

"I'm afraid," Max admitted. "For the first time since we got here, I'm afraid. What if I remember something, what if I don't remember something? God, Kyle, I sat on that throne and ruled this world."

"Max, I don't think it's going to be as bad as you think," Kyle said. "All of you have managed to suppress all the memories of your life here, and none of you, except Isabel have ever accessed the memory implants Che'koth gave us."

"Isabel did it?" said Max, clearly shocked by this revelation. "Why didn't she tell me?"

"She didn't want you to know," said Kyle. "She didn't want anyone to know."

"But she told you?" asked a confused Max.

"No," said Kyle.

"Then how did you know?" asked Max, still stunned by Kyle's announcement.

"You really aren't asking me that question, are you?" asked Kyle.

"Oh yeah, right," said Max, sheepishly. "You have that whole empathy thing going on. Sorry."

"Don't be. It's pretty helpful, now that I'm starting to get the hang of it. Like right now, I know what you're feeling, and I want to tell you to stop it. You didn't throw the thrown away, Max. It was stolen from you."

"That's incredible," said Max. "Can I borrow you the next time Liz is mad at me and I don't know why?"

"Do I look stupid?" laughed Kyle. "You ready, or do you want me to do this on my own?"

For an answer, Max pushed the door open, and the two walked inside. Max stood in the center of the room, and turned around in a circle.

"Nothing," he said. "I don't feel anything at all. Well other than admiration for Isabel's handiwork, that is."

"Come on, let's blow this pop stand," said Kyle. "We already know there isn't any intruder here."

"Yeah, okay, I'll be with you in a second," said Max. He waited until Kyle left the room, and moved over to what used to be his throne. "Something's missing," he mused, as he examined the high backed throne. Without thinking, he sat down on the throne, and it began to glow. Max jumped up and spun around, his jaw dropping in shock. He passed his and over the back of the throne, but nothing happened.

"At least I know what was missing," he said. "Kyle, come here!"

Kyle ran into the room and went directly to Max's side. "What's wrong?" he asked. "Oh, never mind, I figured it out myself."

There, emblazoned on the throne was the Royal Seal of Antar.


	57. Chapter 57 Panic and Power

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Chapter Fifty – Seven** – _Panic and Power _

"Make it go away," said Kyle, his voice filled with panic. "Make it go away."

"Don't you think I tried already?" asked Max.

"Well, try again!" shouted Kyle. "Why'd you do that anyhow? They're going to know it was us. We were the only ones in here."

"Kyle, calm down," said Max. "Freaking out isn't going to help us any."

"Well, it's helping me feel better," said Kyle. "Besides, this is your inner panic I'm picking up on. If you'd just let it out, I wouldn't be freaking so much."

"Leaf floating on a stream Kyle," said Max. "See the freaking image in your mind and focus on it, while I try to come up with a plan."

"Don't bother," said a suddenly calm Kyle. "I have one." He walked across the throne room, stepped out into the hallway, and yelled.

"General Kobodi, General Kobodi! Emergency in the throne room!"

The other Aberjani, and the trainees took up the cry, and footsteps pounded in the hallway as everyone, including General Kobodi made their way to the throne room.

Max watched in horrified fascination as the room filled, and everyone gawked at the orb emblazoned on the headrest of the throne.

"What is the meaning of this!" shouted General Kobodi from the back of the room. "Why are all of these people in this room?" He shoved his way to the front of the crowd, and stopped in shock when the throne came into view.

"Who did this?" he asked, his voice deadly. "Who is responsible for securing this room?"

"We are, General Kobodi," said Kyle, stepping forward.

"Can you explain to me why you chose to stand in a hallway and scream like a fishwife, instead of coming to find me?" asked Kobodi, his voice deadly.

"You told us not to leave the room we were sent to secure," said Kyle, his face a mask of innocence.

A loud laugh caused everyone in the room to turn towards the door, where Kivar stood.

"He has you there, Kobodi," said Kivar, his face a deceptive mask of calmness. "You told them not to leave the area that they secured until they were called. Congratulations, soldier. You unquestioningly followed orders. Now, tell me, which one of you did this?"

"Lord Kivar," said Max, stepping forward. "Neither one of us did this, we don't even know what it is. We only know that this symbol has appeared on the treasonous trash that has appeared in town. Kahtair thought it was best to raise the alarm."

Kivar pushed his way through the crowd of students, and Max tried to hide a shudder of fear when he saw Zan slip his hand into Kivar's pocket and pull out his communicator.

Kivar stopped when he stood in front of Max, and grabbed him by the arm. "Tell me which one of you did this?" he said, his voice hard as metal. As he spoke, he shoved at Max with his mind, and he could feel Kivar prodding him to tell the truth.

"It was here when we came in," Max said, calmly. "As soon as we realized where we saw that symbol, Kahtair called for General Kobodi."

"Dismiss your troops, Kobodi. We're not going to find anything here," said Kivar.

"Lord Kivar," came a disembodied voice. "Lord Kivar, please contact the security center."

Max cringed as he watched Kivar reach into his pocket for his communicator. A look of displeasure crossed his face when he couldn't find it, and he quickly reached into another pocket and retrieved it.

"This is Kivar," he said into the communicator.

"We have secured all the exits, as you requested, Sir. Nobody can enter or exit the building."

"That will be all," said Kivar. He shoved the communicator in his pocket. "Kobodi, I want to meet with you later. You instructed the trainees not to leave the areas they were searching. Your student reacted in the only way possible to notify you of a security breach. His comrades came running to assist him, as good soldiers will. All of this has probably allowed our intruder to escape, unnoticed. I expect you to have a very good reason for why you did this, when we meet. Dismissed."

"Yes, Lord Kivar," said Kobodi, bowing low. When he stood, he shot Kyle a look of malevolent hatred.

"Oh, and Kobodi, if I find out that any of your trainees have been punished because of your error, it will not go well for you," said Kivar, walking out the door.

"You are dismissed," said Kobodi, his voice filled with hatred. "Return to the Training Academy immediately." He pushed past the trainees and stormed out the door and down the hallway.

By unspoken consent, the trainees waited several minutes until they were certain that they wouldn't bump into Kobodi. They filed silently out of the throne, and down to the palace entrance.

Once they were clear of the palace, the other trainees circled around Max and Kyle.

"Which one of you did that?" asked the trainee called Quortoth.

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Max. "It's like I said, the symbol was on the throne when we walked into the room."

"Well, we've all got your back on this one," said another trainee. "I could feel Kivar trying to mind warp you into telling the truth."

"I was telling the truth," said Max, quietly. "Come on, let's get back to the Training Academy before Kobodi finds another reason to want to kill us all."

The group began walking towards the school. Max and Kyle allowed themselves to fall to the back of the group, and meet up with Michael and Zan.

"What the hell happened?" Michael asked.

"Max felt the need to play king and sit in the pretty seat," said Kyle. "And the throne decided to announce to the world that the king had arrived."

"It was a stupid thing to do," said Max.

"But perfectly natural," said Zan. "I would have done the same thing, but I don't know if I would have handled the whole situation as well as you guys did."

"That was all Kyle," said Max. "But your switcheroo with the communicators was pretty smooth."

"What switcheroo?" asked Michael. "Jesus, I need a program to keep up with you guys."

"I saw Zan remove the communicator from Kivar's pocket, just before they paged him," said Max. "How did you get the new communicator in his pocket so quickly though? I didn't see that at all."

"I did that first," said Zan. "I slipped Maria's in his left pocket, and pulled the other one out of his right pocket."

"Very cool," said Michael. "You know, I'm starting to feel really superfluous here."

"How do you even know a word like superfluous?" questioned Kyle.

"It was a slow night at the CrashDown. I read Liz's SAT prep book," explained Michael.

"Anybody ever tell you what a geek you are sometimes, Guerin?" asked Kyle.

"Yeah, but you love me anyway," said Michael, and Max did a double take at the uncharacteristic show of emotion.

"We'd better get moving," said Zan. "We're the last ones out, and you know that despite what Kivar said, Kobodi's going to have it out for you and Kyle. Let's not give him any extra ammunition."

Once back at school, the group split up, agreeing to meet in the tunnel room as soon as possible. When Michael entered the room, he found Ava dancing joyously around the room, hugging herself with glee.

"Happy much?" asked Michael.

"Oh Michael, it was wonderful," said Ava, throwing herself into her brother's arms and hugging him tightly.

"That's great," said Michael. "I'm glad it was wonderful, but Ava, I just have one question. What the hell is _it_?"

"Just an idea that I had," she said. "And it worked perfectly. I didn't think it would, but it did."

"That's it, you are so not allowed to hang out with Maria anymore," said Michael. "It's bad enough that I never have a freaking clue what she's talking about. I never knew it was catchy! You sound just like her. Slow down, start at the beginning, and for crying out loud, please use complete sentences."

"I'm sorry, Michael," said Ava, struggling to calm down a little. "But see, I had this really great idea to get some of the trideka to everyone. Che'koth helped me organize it, and it worked perfectly. Today, just about everyone in school, instructors and students alike received a package with a piece of jewelry in it. Do you know what this means?"

"They're all going to have kick ass accessories?" said Michael.

"Michael!"

"I get it, I get it," said Michael, wrapping his arms around Ava. "Good deal Little Sis, very good deal indeed."

"What's good?" asked Maria, standing with Alex in the doorway.

"Ava's idea of course," said Michael. "Where are the others?"

"There on there way," said Alex. "We saw everyone except for Liz, but I'm sure she'll be down too."

The door opened again, and Max, Kyle, Zan and Isabel walked in to the small room. Everyone took their usual seats, except for Max, who paced around the room, feeling lost without Liz.

"Who wants to go first?" said Kyle in an effort to break the silence that pervaded the room.

"Don't you think we should wait for Liz, first?" Isabel asked tentatively. She knew that she didn't want to tell her story more than once.

"How about if we do this?" asked Michael looking at Ava. He could tell she was so excited to share her news with everyone that she was about to explode. "If someone has happy, and I mean strictly happy, nothing scary, news to share, they share it now. If there is anything of concern to share, we save it for when Liz gets here?"

Everyone agreed, and Ava jumped up, happy to share her news with her friends.

"So the way I figure it, by now, just about every member of the staff and the student body are officially unwarped," she said. "With the obvious exception of Jara Kobodi of course."

"Isn't there a chance that someone will notify Kivar?" asked Alex.

"Yeah," admitted Ava. "But we ran that same risk when we had the guy with the cart pass out all that stuff the other day."

"Ava's right," said Maria. "And I think it was a great idea. Anybody else got any happy news to share?" She looked around the room, and watched as everyone shook their heads. "Then I propose that we celebrate Ava's bold and successful maneuver until Liz gets here. All in favor?"

A resounding chorus of aye's filled the room, followed by laughter at Maria's attempt to follow parliamentary procedure. Everyone relaxed a little and began to talk. The volume of the various discussions drowned out the sounds from the tunnel.

Max looked up and noticed Che'koth standing in the passage to the tunnel, watching all of them, his face a study of intense concentration.

"Hey Che'koth, what's up?" Max asked. "We're just hanging out while we wait for Liz. The pasta nazi is off tonight, but we have plenty of other things to eat."

"There is no time," said Che'koth. "We need to get to work. There is much to be done. I want one of you to make some more flyers right away. When they are done, the rest of you will distribute them through out the city while everyone is asleep."

Nobody moved from their seats. They just stared at Che'koth, shocked by his sudden appearance, and his outburst.

"Why are you sitting there?" he yelled. "I told you to get to work!"

"Now look," began Max. He stopped as a bolt of energy shot across the room, striking Che'koth in the chest. He spun around to find Liz standing in the doorway, her arm extended to fire another bolt of energy if necessary.


	58. Chapter 58 Will the Real Che'Koth Pleas...

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Chapter Fifty – Eight** – _Will the Real Che'koth Please Stand Up _

Maria screams filled the room. Michael and Kyle spun to fire on the intruder, and only the quick thinking of Zan stopped them.

"Don't!" he shouted. "It's Liz!"

"Liz, what did you just do?" Maria asked in horror. "You just killed Che'koth."

"Who says that's Liz," said Kyle, his voice hard with pain and anger. "Maybe it's a shape shifter, like Nascedo."

"I'm not a shape shifter, you idiot," said the person in the doorway. "God, you guys, it's me. Don't you recognize me?"

"I don't know who you are," said Maria. "But our Liz would never kill the one friend we have on this God forsaken planet."

"Will you just listen for a second? I am Liz, and that wasn't Che'koth. He was an imposter."

Without a word, Max crossed the room, and pulled Liz into his arms and kissed her. As they kissed, he got flashes of Liz as a child, and flashes of the life he and Liz had started to build together on Earth. He pulled away from Liz and looked at the others.

"She's Liz," he said. "Liz, why did you do it? Why did you kill Che'koth? He was just telling us that we had to mobilize, and get more posters out into the city."

"I'm trying to tell you," said Liz. "If you'd all just shut up and let me explain. That's not Che'koth lying there."

"Liz is right," said a voice from the tunnel.

Everyone turned and watched as another Che'koth staggered into the room, blood dripping from a gash on his head.

"Che'koth!" Liz cried. She rushed across the room and led him to a chair. "Sit down, let me clean and bandage that for you. What happened?"

"I was attacked just as I entered the tunnel," he said, falling heavily into the chair.

"Here, why don't I heal that for you," said Max, moving over to stand next to Liz.

"NO!" both of them shouted.

"You must not waste your powers on me, Max," Che'koth said. "You will need them later I am sure."

"Look, how do we know all of this is true?" asked Isabel, speaking for the first time. "I mean, I know Max said he got flashes when he kissed Liz, so that must be Liz, but how do we know you're really Che'koth?"

"Liz said he was. She was certain that the other one was an imposter," added Alex. "How can we be certain?"

"Simple," said Liz. "Che'koth, what should we do now?"

"That's not my decision to make, Majesty. If you look inside of you, you'll find the answers. You only have to search."

"That's Che'koth," said Liz."

"What? I don't get it," said Alex.

"Look the other night, Che'koth and I had a conversation, and I pointed out that he never gives us orders. He may make suggestions, but he never tells us what to do. When I walked in, that guy over there," she pointed to the body on the ground, "Was ordering all of you around like there was no tomorrow. That's how I knew he wasn't Che'koth."

"Well, who's that, then?" asked Kyle, pointing to the body.

"I don't know," admitted Che'koth. "He came up from behind me. I never saw him."

"He isn't dead," said Liz. "I only stunned him."

"Great, lets wake him up," said Zan, grimly. He reached down and grabbed the man, and dumped some water on his face.

"What happened?" asked the fake Che'koth.

"We'll do the questioning," said Michael. "Starting with who the hell are you?"

"I am Che'koth, of course," said the man. "Why aren't any of you doing what I told you to do? We need to get those posters out there."

"Ava?" said Michael. Ava stepped up and focused on the man, and gave his mind a small shove.

"Who are you?" demanded Michael.

"I am Chak N'ohr," said the man. "I was recruited, along with many others, by General Kobodi to find out who is responsible for spreading the filthy lies about the royal family. I saw a man slip into a hidden tunnel, and I decided to follow him. I jumped him, and he fell, hitting his head. I found his identity papers, so I knew his name. I changed my appearance to look like him, and I left him for dead in the tunnel. I followed the tunnel until I came to this room. I hid in the darkness while I listened to you talk. I know you are the ones who are responsible for trying to turn people against Lord Kivar."

"What are we going to do with him?" asked Isabel. "We can't just kill him."

"Isabel, we're talking about waging a war," said Zan. "Don't you think we'll be killing people then?"

"That's different," said Isabel. "If we kill him now, we'll just be killing him in cold blood. We can't do that. We're not like that."

"You're right," admitted Zan. "Damn, where are Lonnie and Rath when you really need them."

"We don't have to kill him," said Alex. "If Ava and I warp the hell out of his mind, he won't remember anything."

"Unless he comes across some of the trideka we've modified," said Ava.

"I think you're plan is best," said Che'koth from the chair. "We can worry about the trideka at a later date. I will however destroy that particular entrance to the tunnel. Please do not try to exit through there until I can arrange for another passage to be made."

"I don't know, Che'koth. You're starting to sound kind of bossy," said Liz with a smile.

"Ava, Alex, you know what to do, right?" Max asked. The two nodded, and proceeded to warp Chak N'ohr's mind, convincing him that he had not seen or heard anything at all. When they were done, Isabel reached over and knocked him back out.

"We have some things to talk about," she said by way of an explanation, "We can get rid of him after we're done. I want to tell you all what happened today, and I just want to get it over with."

Isabel related her encounter with Kivar and Kobodi, and Kivar's invitation for her to visit the gallery at her leisure.

"I snuck back into the palace, and placed a few of the communicators around. Then I encountered my double. I knocked her out, and dressed in her clothes. I figured I have more access to areas of the palace that way."

"Are you insane Isabel Amanda Evans Whitman!" shouted Alex. "What if Kivar had found you?"

"He did," said Isabel. "Did you know that bastard is using our parents bed chamber for his own?"

"Bed chamber?" shouted Alex.

"Calm down, Alex," said Isabel, the tremor in her voice discounting the calm expression on her face. "I knocked him out, and I got the hell out of there. I retrieved my duplicate, switched clothing, and sent her into him."

"Liz, I cannot believe you put yourself in such danger," said Alex. "He could have killed you."

"So what," Isabel shot back. "It's not like that's a new experience, he already did it once."

Alex jumped up and walked across the room to where Isabel stood. He put his arms around Isabel in a comforting gesture, but she shook him off.

"Alex, you can't take care of this with a hug. I'm not a child, and it's not going to make me feel all better."

"Maybe it's supposed to make _me_ feel better, Iz, did you ever think of that? I'm scared shitless at the thought of you anywhere near that son of a bitch, and you're standing here glibly telling us he took you to his bedroom. How am I supposed to act?"

"I'm sorry," cried Isabel, bursting into tears. "I don't know why I'm acting this way."

"Isabel, come sit by me," said Che'koth. "Calm down, and let the others recount their adventures today.

Alex led Isabel across the room, and the two took seats on the floor next to Che'koth.

"Max would you care to tell us about your adventures?" Che'koth asked. His mouth quirked gently at the corners, and Liz had the impression that Che'koth already knew what Max was going to say. As Max recounted his tale to the others, Che'koth absently stroked Isabel's hair in a comforting gesture. Liz watched her friend relax, bit by bit, as she was soothed by the Antarians gentle ministrations.

Everyone laughed at Max's description of their panic he and Kyle felt when the symbol appeared on the throne.

"Why didn't you tell us about that?" Max asked Che'koth, accusingly.

"Why did you sit in the throne?" countered Che'koth. "You keep saying you're nobody's king. Why sit in the throne of a king?"

"Well, I, uh," said Max, feebly, and everybody laughed.

"Relax, Max, I'm only teasing you," said Che'koth. "I don't think anybody, when faced with that opportunity wouldn't do the same thing."

"Okay, let's move this along, so we can get to the planning portion of our program. We've heard the happy Ava news, the upsetting Isabel news, the hysterical Max faux pas, what's next?"

"Well, I pissed of General Kobodi in a huge way," said Kyle. "That was kind of fun."

"And I picked Kivar's pocket and slipped him one of Maria and Alex's communicators," said Zan.

"I figured out how to kill us all," said Liz. She looked around at the shocked and distraught looks on her friend's faces and gave a wry smile.

"I guess I win."


	59. Chapter 59 Mourning

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Chapter Fifty – Nine** – _Mourning_

"Chica," said Maria. "We just decided you were one of the good guys not thirty minutes ago. Are you telling me we made a mistake?"

"Maria!" Liz shouted. "Please tell me you're kidding."

"I think I should be saying that to you," said Maria. "Why would you want to kill us?"

"I think she means she finalized the tracking system," said Alex. "Am I right?"

"Yes, and no," said Liz. "I finally realized that it's not the weapon that needs the tracking system, it's the bullet or whatever it fires. I figured out a way to make a sensor that can track our DNA."

"That's excellent, Liz. Way to go!" shouted Alex, excitedly.

"Excuse me for not understanding," said Kyle. "But I guess I'm not quite following why we should be excited because it's now easier to track and kill us."

"Remedial science strikes again," laughed Alex, not unkindly. "If Liz can code the sensors to track our DNA, she can also code it to block our DNA," he explained.

"I always knew there was a reason why you were my best friend," said Maria, reaching out to hug Liz. "Aren't you just the smart one!"

"Well, I do have news that falls into the happy, happy category too," said Liz, smiling shyly. I managed to get Varonia off our backs as well. She followed me to the lab, and I got in her face about it."

"_You_ got in somebody's face?" asked Michael. "I'm having trouble with this concept for some reason.

"Hey, I went all Buffy on her!" said Liz.

"Right," laughed Michael.

"I'm not quite sure what going all Buffy means," said Che'koth, "But she did have the girl pinned against the wall."

"How did you know?" she asked Che'koth.

"Plash Nevenia told me," he laughed. "I saw her this afternoon, and she was very impressed with the way you handled the situation."

"Way to go, Liz," said Kyle.

"Are you okay?" Max asked softly. He was still shaken by the way Liz charged in and stunned their intruder. Finding out that she had virtually attacked Varonia had really freaked him out. She was acting like some Amazon princess or something.

"I'm fine, Max," Liz answered. "Anyhow, the director showed up, and I turned the tables on her, and said, maybe she was a spy or something, and was trying to hide by throwing suspicion on me. The director fell for it and was going to bring her to her father to discuss the situation."

"It was a masterful way to handle the situation, Liz," said Che'koth. "I think if the director hadn't approached, she still would have backed down. She needed to learn the hard way that she couldn't intimidate you."

"So, what's next?" asked Alex. "When do we put the big plan into action?"

"I need a little more time to modify the sensors so that they **don't** track our DNA," said Liz. "Alex, maybe I can get you assigned to help me since you created the weapon."

"Sounds like fun," said Alex. "I always wanted to get you alone in a lab, Parker."

"That's Parker-Evans, thank you very much," said Max, with a forced grin. He was worried. Liz had gone from being totally depressed and withdrawn into her self, to throwing herself completely into this project. He wasn't sure if it was healthy or not.

"Hey Liz," Isabel called. "That sensor you're programming. Can you program it to go after Kivar?"

"Sure," said Liz. "If we had a sample of his DNA. It wouldn't be hard at all."

"You can get it from hair, can't you?" asked Isabel. "Not just from blood samples."

"Yeah, why? You planning on going back and giving him a hair cut?"

"I already did," said Isabel. She reached into her pouch and withdrew a small container with the strands of hair she removed from Kivar earlier in the day. "I guess I had the idea in the back of my mind without ever realizing it," she continued. "So when the opportunity presented itself, I just couldn't resist."

"Well whatever motivated you, Isabel, who cares," said Alex. "That was a phenomenal idea!"

While the rest of the group celebrated, Maria watched Max and Liz. Neither one of them seemed truly happy lately. Maria reached over and tapped Liz's.

"Got a second, Chica?" she asked.

"Sure, what's up?"

"Not here, lets go into the tunnel. I need to talk to you, and I don't want anybody to overhear."

The two girls slipped unnoticed into the tunnel and moved away from the small room.

"What's the matter, Maria?" Liz asked, her voice filled with concern.

"No, I'm afraid you have it all wrong. That's my line. What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," said Liz automatically. "Everything's great."

"Right, try telling it to somebody who doesn't know you. Maybe they'll believe you, but I don't. Now spill."

Liz leaned against the dirt wall, and slid down against it until she came to the floor. She pulled her knees up to her chin, and wrapped her arms around her legs, and sighed.

"I don't know. I guess I really hate the thought of creating anything that could be used to hurt people. I've always wanted to be a scientist, but I never dreamed I'd make a weapon. Me, Liz Parker! I go out of my way not to step on bugs, for crying out loud. Today, I threatened a girl, and created a weapon that is supposed to kill all of us."

"Liz this whole thing is changing all of us," said Maria. "Okay, so you got violent today. That doesn't mean you're going turn around and start throwing everybody you meet up against walls, or anything."

"But it's just weird, you know. It's so not like me."

"So, it's not like me to do well in any type of school, and I'm doing it here just to piss off that wench Jara Kobodi," said Maria. "And as far as that stupid weapon thing goes, it was going to get made no matter what. At least with you involved, we know it's not going to kill us. Now, how about telling Auntie Maria what's really wrong. Max is worried about you."

"Why? Did he say something to you?" asked Liz.

"He didn't have to. He's got a permanent worried frown thing going on every time he looks at you. If he doesn't watch out, he's going to get wrinkles."

Liz laughed despite the sadness she was feeling. "I don't think that's a primary concern for him, Maria."

"Well, you are a primary concern," said Maria. "He's worried about you."

"If Max is worried, Max needs to talk to me about it himself," said Liz. "That was part of our problem this past year. He wouldn't talk to me about anything important. He just tried to pretend that nothing was wrong."

"Well, I'm not pretending now," Max's voice came from the darkness. "We need to talk."

"That's my cue to book," said Maria. She hugged her friend and walked through the darkness to the small room where the others sat.

"Talk to me, Liz. Tell me what's wrong. And don't give me that crap about the tracking system and you shoving that girl against the wall. It's more than that. Let's talk about it, please?"

"You listened to us," Liz accused.

"You're right, I did," said Max. "I didn't start out trying to eavesdrop, but when I heard what you were saying, I decided it was better for me to wait. Liz, I don't want to go back to how we were a year ago. You were so quiet and withdrawn, and I didn't do anything to help you with that. I know I didn't. I just kept trying to pretend that everything was all better. It was easier than grieving over our child."

Max sat down on the hard ground next to Liz and took her hand and held it against his chest.

"You're in here, Liz. You, and our baby are locked in my heart. Part of me died when our baby died. Don't destroy more of my heart by pulling away from me again."

"I'm not trying to Max," Liz whispered. "I – I just need to focus on _something_ right now, because if I don't, I start thinking about – about our baby. Oh Max, our baby is dead," she cried.

Max wrapped his arms around her, and she sobbed brokenly into his chest. He held her tightly as her body shook in his arms, heaving as she tried to breath.

"Liz," Max began, stopping when he felt the hot tears coursing down his cheeks. Giving in to the pain he had suppressed, Max cried along with Liz, grieving for the child they had loved, but never gotten to know.


	60. Chapter 60 Countdown to Action

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Chapter Sixty** – _Countdown to Action_

"Do you think they're all right back there?" Ava whispered.

"I believe that they are finally saying goodbye" Che'koth replied.

"Goodbye! Goodbye to who?" asked Zan. "Which one of them is leaving?"

"Neither of them is leaving, Zan," Che'koth said softly. "They are finally saying good bye to the child they lost. And with that, comes grieving."

"I thought they got all of that straightened out back in California?" said Michael. "At least Max told me they had."

"He may have thought they had straightened everything out," said Kyle, "But both of them were falling apart inside. That's why Liz threw herself into that weapon project, and why Max was all about getting rid of Kivar. They were focusing on anything except what they needed to focus on."

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Ava asked her husband.

"Because telling all of you wouldn't have changed anything, and they weren't ready to hear it," said Kyle. "It had to happen on it's own."

"Very good, Kyle, you are becoming very adept at this power you are developing. Not only have you learned to read the emotions of others, you are learning how to use what you've learned so that it benefits people."

"Well, it's not quite as cool as blowing things up," said Kyle, "But now that I know how to use it, it is pretty useful."

"I think we should probably all start doing something. We don't want to look like we're all sitting here waiting for them when they come back," said Isabel."

"But that's what we are doing," said Michael.

"Right, Space Boy, but they don't need to know that's what we're doing," said Maria. "How about we get started on Liz's banner to hang from the palace?"

Max and Liz emerged from the tunnel a short while later, both their faces showed traces of the tears they had shed, but a light shined from their eyes that had been missing for a very long time.

Max hugged Liz quickly before going to talk to Michael, while Kyle and Maria came to stand next to Liz.

"All right, Chica?" Maria asked.

"Better than all right," said Liz. "Thank you, Maria."

"Don't thank me yet. What are you getting, Kyle?"

"Life is good again," Kyle answered. "He hugged Liz and whispered, "Don't do that to us again, okay?" before pulling away to go work with Ava on the banner.

"What's he talking about?" said Liz with a small giggle. "He's acting weird."

"You have just been given the Kyle Valenti 'I'm Okay' seal of approval, that's what. Kyle filled us in on what was going on."

"Kyle knew?" asked Liz. "And he never said anything? Why?"

"Something about it not being time, and it had to come from you," said Maria. "He's pretty smart, sometimes. But let's not tell him that, okay?"

"You know it," said Liz. "So, what are we doing here?"

"Working on your banner," said Maria. "We decided to get it finished so we're ready whenever D-Day arrives."

"When are we going to do this?" Liz asked the room in general. Everyone turned to look at Max, expectantly, and waited for an answer.

"Che'koth, how long will it take to retrieve the troops you left to guard our parents?" Max asked. "If we're going to go on a full blown offensive, we're going to need them."

"If I can use the travel devices that Alex has made, almost immediately. If we use the Granolith, it will take at least 24 hours."

"Well, I have twelve made already," said Alex. "If you need more, it will take another day. Or can you just use what we have made, and do it in shifts?"

"We can do it in shifts," said Che'koth.

"All that's left is to set a definitive date," said Max. "How about the day after tomorrow?"

"Max, it's after midnight," said Liz, gently. "Do you mean tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I guess I do," said Max, flushing slightly. "Great, my first decision, and I muffed it."

"You didn't, Max," said Liz. "There's a lot going on, and I just wanted to clarify it, that's all."

"Okay, so we have a time, now what?" asked Zan.

"I'm not sure," admitted Max.

"We divide up," said Zan, "And each of us covers a different area of the city. You should probably take the palace area," he added. "You and Liz."

Everyone was silent as they digested the unsaid message in Zan's words. "You're the king, I'm nothing," echoed in his words.

"I have an idea," said Liz."

"They are here, Kobodi. That's why our troops on that hideous, backwards planet can't find them. We're scouring Earth looking for them, and all the time, they've been up here," said Kivar.

"What makes you so certain, Lord Kivar?" asked Kobodi, cringing inwardly at the tongue-lashing or worse he knew he'd receive for his question.

Kivar sat heavily in a chair in his planning room and sighed. "Why am I forced to work with such fools," he said out loud. "The throne," you imbecile. "The only person who can activate the throne and cause the seal to appear is the king, or a direct blood descendant to the king."

"Perhaps your Queen sat on the throne and caused the seal to appear," Kobodi ventured.

"Don't you listen, you simpleton?" roared Kivar. "I said the king, or a direct blood descendant. My Queen is **not** Zan's descendant. She is his sister. No, he is here, somewhere on Antar. He is the one causing such dissent among the people. We must find him, and kill him. Again!"

"It has to be either Ma'nith or Kahtair, the trainees who went to search the throne. Kill them and be done with it," suggested General Kobodi.

Kivar screamed in anger. The sounds of his shouts filled the small room. He threw off an energy bolt at General Kobodi, causing the General to fly across the room and crash into a wall."

"You are the most worthless excuse for an Antarian that I have ever seen!" yelled Kivar. "Where is you mind? Don't you think before you speak? Explain to me how either one of them could possibly be Zan. Ma'nith is a twin you fool, and we've seen him and his brother together. There is no way one of them could be Zan."

"What about Kahtair?" gasped Kobodi. "He could have modified his appearance."

Kobodi screamed in pain as Kivar hit him with another energy bolt, this one stronger than the last. Moaning in pain, he pulled himself to a sitting position and looked at Kivar, struggling to hide the hate he felt coursing through his veins."

"Kahtair is too short to be Zan, you fool," Kivar ground out between clenched teeth. "He could have modified his outward appearance, but there is no way he could have changed his height. Recall the Aberjani from Earth. There is no need for them to be there. If Zan is here, he's planning something. I want to be prepared."

Kobodi watched from his position on the floor as Kivar left the room. When his strength returned, he pulled himself up, and teetered precariously to a nearby chair. Collapsing in the chair, he sat heavily, and let his head fall on the table.

"Simpleton am I?" he said, his voice filled with hatred. "He is the simpleton. He is going to run off to his little cloned plaything, and he forgets the rumors that two clones of Zan were sent to Earth. "He thinks it can't be Ma'nith because he's a twin, but what is he having his scientists develop right now? A clone, a twin for his precious Vilondra. Fine, so be it," he said. "What's done is done. No longer will I allow myself to be his whipping boy."

Kobodi pushed himself up with the help of the table, and staggered for the door. As Kivar had tortured him, he came to a decision. He knew that either Ma'nith or Kahtair was Zan. He just had to figure out which one it was, and destroy him. Then, and only then would Kivar recognize that he was an asset, and not a liability.


	61. Chapter 61 Max is Outed

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Chapter Sixty – One** – _Max is Outed_

The dining area was again covered with posters, and now and again, snatches of music would be heard, but the Director and the faculty were unable to determine who was doing it. Liz looked around and realized that the entire song was posted, in bits and pieces around the dining hall. The director was reluctant to cancel classes again, and he announced to the students that they should ignore what the saw in the dining hall.

"Long live King Zan!" shouted one of the students in response to the Directors announcement.

"Students!" shouted the Director. "The Training Academy has always been, and will always be a non partisan school. You are here to learn, the instructors to teach. You are all entitled to your own beliefs, but I ask, nay, implore that you do not allow them to interfere with the learning."

The students quieted down, trying to respect the wishes of the Director.

"Thank you," said the Director. "I appreciate your cooperation in this matter. I do not wish to cancel classes again, nor do I think you want that to happen. I am going to ask all of you to proceed to your classes. I won't be foolish and ask you not to talk about what's going on, but I will ask you to keep it out of the academic environment as much as possible. Thank you."

The students began to talk again, this time more softly, when General Kobodi's voice rang out across the hall.

"All Aberjani trainees will report to the training room, immediately."

The Aberjani trainees stood, and left the dining hall. As they left, Max managed to walk past Liz and squeeze her hand. "Just a few more days, and I will all be over," he whispered to her. "I love you."

"Ma'nith and Kahtair, come to the front," shouted General Kobodi. Kyle and Zan looked at each other and shrugged and stepped to the front of the room. Kobodi examined them the way someone would look at something nasty they found on their shoe before he spoke again. "Perhaps we should ask Za'nith to join you at the front," said Kobodi, his voice silky.

Max, Kyle and Zan looked up at Kobodi, their gazes unblinking as Kobodi paced in front of them.

"I don't see any sense in wasting anybody's time. I want to know which one of you is Zan," he said.

The three looked at each other, in feigned confusion.

"Zan?" said Max. "I'm not sure what you mean. I am Ma'nith, my brother is Za'nith, and this is Kahtair. None of us are known as Zan."

"Don't lie to me!" screamed Kobodi. One of you activated the throne, and I demand to know which one of you it was."

"As we explained to you, and Lord Kivar, that symbol was already on the throne when we entered the room," said Kyle. "Lord Kivar believed us. Are you saying that Lord Kivar is wrong?"

"Impudent pup!" roared Kobodi. He directed an energy bolt at Kyle but before it could reach its mark, Max threw up an energy shield to protect the three of them. At the same time, Michael fired a bolt at Kobodi, knocking his already weakened body off its feet.

Max grabbed Kyle and Zan, and turned to run when he stopped, shocked by the site of the other Aberjani trainees kneeling down on one knee, their hearts covered by their right fists.

"Hail King Zan!" they shouted as one. "Long live King Zan."

"Stop it," said Max. Stand up, all of you. There are no kings here."

"If it pleases Your Majesty," said Quortoth, rising from where he knelt. "Only the King can produce a protective shield such as the one you produced."

"I've seen plenty of you throw up a shield in training," said Max.

"True, but none have had the Antarian seal on it," said Quortoth.

"Antarian seal?" asked Max, weakly. "It didn't, did it?"

"Yes, Sire. You must have activated it when you took the throne. It was you that sat on the throne, was it not?"

Max glanced quickly at Michael and the others and saw that all of them wore looks of resignation. Max shook his head at Michael, Zan and Kyle, as he passed his hand over his face and changed his appearance to its original form.

"You _are_ alive," said Quortoth. "How may we serve you, My King?"

"Stop calling me that, for one," said Max. "At least for now. Right now, we have to figure out what to do with him." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder and pointed at the body of General Kobodi.

"He's not going to be out long," said Michael. "I was set on stun."

Max quickly changed his appearance back to that of Ma'nith and turned to face Kobodi who was starting to stir. He moved forward t stand next to Zan and Kyle, unaware of what was occurring behind him.

"Who dared to fire upon me?" shouted Kobodi as he dragged himself to his feet.

"I did, General," rang out in the room, and a shocked Max turned to see the other trainees, moving to stand next to him. Even more amazing was the fact that all of them had modified their appearances to resemble Ma'nith and Za'nith.

"I'll destroy you all!" shouted Kobodi. He raised his hand to fire when a voice rang out.

"Cease this foolishness this instant, General Kobodi," came a voice from the back of the room. "What is going on here?"

"Director, it is none of your concern," said Kobodi with all the strength he could muster. "This matter shall be handled by myself, or Lord Kivar."

"Lord Kivar instructed me to come find you, and instead, I find you threatening my students. You there," he added, pointing at one of the trainees. "What is going on here?"

"General Kobodi accused one of the other trainees of being King Zan. We all know it to be nothing but foolishness, but the General was quite insistent."

"Fine, fine," said the Director, "But why have you all changed your appearance to look the same?"

"Because, Director, if he accuses one, he accuses all. We are a team," explained the student.

"Very admirable," said the Director. "General Kobodi, Lord Kivar is here, he wishes to address the trainees."

"No!" shouted Kobodi. "That is, I mean, now is not a good time." He looked out over the trainees, all of them looking exactly alike, and he broke out in a cold sweat. "I will talk to Lord Kivar, and tell him,"

"Tell me what, _General_," said Kivar, walking into the room. He stepped up onto the podium, next to Kobodi, surveyed the trainees and exploded with laughter.

"Would you care to explain the meaning of this, Kobodi" Kivar asked, his voice silky.

"Actually, Lord Kivar," said Max, stepping forward. "We were working on a plan to show General Kobodi.

"And what would that plan be, if I may ask?" said Kivar.

"We were trying to find a way to figure out who was spreading the filthy lies about Zan being alive," improvised Max. "We thought that if we took the guise of Zan, and went out into the city, we might be able to draw out some of the rabble rousers."

"Yes, but none of you look like Zan," said Kivar.

"General Kobodi was doubtful about the success of our plan, and wanted proof, so we all changed to look like one of the trainees, and we were going to go out into the school, and see if we could fool the other students."

"Now we know why I was in charge of strategic planning," Michael whispered to Kyle. "There is no way Kivar is going to buy that load of bull."

"Interesting," said Kivar, his voice hardening a little. "Are you sure that is all there is to it?"

"Yes, Lord Kivar," said Michael, still in his Ma'nith disguise, stepping forward.

Kivar's face darkened with anger as he looked from the trainees to General Kobodi. He wasn't sure if they were telling the truth, or if they were lying to cover their tracks, or Kobodi's.

"And which one of you came up with this plan?" he asked.

"I did, Lord Kivar," said Quortoth stepping forward. "We were all sickened by the filthy rumors that have been spread about, and we wanted to do something to help."

"Show your true selves, all of you!" demanded Kivar.

The trainees restored their appearances and faced Kivar with unflinching dignity.

"Again, which one of you came up with this plan?"

"It was I, Lord Kivar," said Quortoth.

"And you are?" asked Kivar

"I am Quortoth Slenia," answered Quortoth.

"Slenia, Slenia, oh yes, your father is one of my lieutenants is he not?"

"Yes he is," said Quortoth.

"He is a very loyal soldier," said Kivar, as are you. I like your plan, but at this time, I do not want it implemented. You have shown great initiative by devising such a plan and your ingenuity will not go unrewarded. Director, what do you suggest I give this young man?"

"Perhaps a day free of classes?" offered the Director.

"So be it," said Kivar. Quortoth Slenia, you are free from your classes for the rest of the day.

"Thank you Lord Kivar," said Quortoth.

"Kobodi, come with me!" snapped Kivar. He strode out of the room, the Director and General Kobodi trailing in his wake.


	62. Chapter 62 Return to Earth

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Author's Note** Well, my goal was to have this finished before the DVD's were released. Obviously, I didn't make it, but I'm pretty close . Hopefully, our story will be wrapped up by the end of the week.

**Chapter Sixty – Two **– _Return to Earth _

"You are very lucky, Kobodi," said Kivar as he exited the Training Academy. "Your trainees are very loyal. They were willing to lie to me to protect you. Why is that, do you think?"

"I'm not sure I know what you mean, My Lord," said Kobodi.

"You were trying to find out if one of them was Zan, of course," said Kivar, his voice almost cheerful. "Obviously, they banded together to protect one of their own. It is just as obvious that you mind warped them into confessing to that ludicrous plan. It is lucky for the trainees that I realized that, because my initial impulse was to kill them for lying to me."

"Lord Kivar, I did not mind warp the trainees to say that," said Kobodi, struggling to keep the fear from his voice.

"Kobodi, haven't you learned yet it is wise not to lie to me?" said Kivar. "You are lucky I do not have time to deal with this right now. I want you to oversee the recalling of the Aberjani. I want them back from Earth as soon as possible."

"Yes Lord Kivar," said Kobodi.

"Don't think, for an instant, that I have forgotten your insolence, Kobodi. You will be punished."

"Yes, Lord Kivar,' said Kobodi, striving to keep the hatred from his voice.

Che'koth exited the Granolith, and looked around. He checked the timepiece that Jim Valenti had left. He was unable to tell time by traditional Earth methods, but the Sheriff had kindly marked the hours that he would stop by and check to see if there were any messages. Che'koth was pleased to see that he didn't have long to wait before Jim arrived.

While he waited, Che'koth looked again at the pods that had housed his family, and brought them to safety. Tucked inside one was the blanket he had wrapped around Liz when she lost her child. He felt a tear roll down his face, but he didn't brush it away. Liz was such a strong woman; she would make a wonderful Queen.

Che'koth shook his head sadly, for he knew deep in his heart that Liz would not remain on Antar, nor would Max. A choice had been made when the pods had been sent to Earth. If they survived, they would build their own lives. They couldn't be expected to return to live on a planet they knew nothing about.

A sound drew his attention away from the pods, and he turned to find Jim Valenti watching him.

"It amazes me too," said Jim. "I come out here and stare at them all the time. I can't believe that those kids traveled here in those, and they protected them for so long."

"It was a terrible risk, but we had no choice," said Che'koth. "I'm glad to see you my friend," he added, trying to shake off the sadness that he felt.

"What brings you here Che'koth?" asked Jim. "Do the kids need more food?"

"No, I am here to bring back the troops we left down here," explained Che'koth. "Kivar is recalling the Aberjani, so there will be no need for them to remain."

"That's great!" said Jim, excitedly. "That means the kids will be home soon!" He looked at the expression on Che'koth's face, and his exuberance faded. "They will, won't they?"

"I'm afraid that they won't be home right away," said Che'koth.

"Are any of them hurt?" demanded Jim. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Relax, Jim Valenti, they are fine. They have, decided however that they cannot leave Antar until they rid our world of Kivar."

"Rid your world of Kivar? He rules your world, he has armies behind him, and a band of nine kids think they can overthrow him? Are they insane? Are _you_ insane for letting them?"

"You forget, Jim Valenti, that Max is my King. I have sworn an oath of loyalty to him."

"You swore an oath to a person that doesn't exist anymore, Che'koth. You swore an oath to Zan, but he's not there, and Max is. He isn't your king. He's just a boy!"

"So Max keeps telling me," said Che'koth, a small grin playing at the corners of his mouth. "However, this is their decision, and nothing I say will change their minds."

"Then get the hell out of my way, and I'll go up there and tell them that they're being stupid," said Jim.

"You know I can't allow that to happen Jim," said Che'koth. "Max and the others have come up with a rather remarkable plan. They began to implement it almost immediately. I'd like to tell you about it if you are willing to listen. I think you'll find that they've thought things through and are going into it with their eyes open."

Jim agreed reluctantly. Che'koth explained everything the group had done so far, and what their plans were. Jim was amazed at everything they had accomplished in such a short time.

"They've only been gone for a few weeks," he said. "How did they manage to do this?"

"As you know, time passes differently on Antar," said Che'koth, "But even so, they have done some remarkable things in a very short time."

"No kidding," laughed Jim. "Inventing penicillin, that's classic Maria."

"You laugh, but it served to throw suspicion off of Liz at a time when a classmate was accusing her of treason."

"Treason?" asked Jim. "What are they doing that's treasonous? Never mind," he added as he realized what he had just asked. "I suppose trying to overthrow Kivar would be along the lines of treason. So this is all my fault, huh?"

"What do you mean? asked Che'koth. "How could you have possibly started this?"

"Well, if I hadn't sent that cd up to Maria, she never would have heard that stupid song, and then none of this would have happened," sighed Jim.

"I'm afraid they already had reached that decision before Maria found that cd," Che'koth said. "It just gave them, ah, I believe Maria referred to it as a theme for the prom."

Jim laughed, knowing the expression was pure Maria. He asked after each of the kids, and passed messages along from their parents.

"They all send their love to you, as well," said Che'koth. "And they ask you not to worry. This is something that they have to do. None of them felt that it would be right to return to Earth without trying to do something."

"They're good kids," said Jim. "I hate this, but I understand why they feel they have to do it. I don't think I should tell their parents though, do you?"

"That is wise, Jim Valenti. You will bear a difficult burden, keeping this secret, but it is for the best."

"So, should we start rounding up the troops and bring them back here?" asked Jim.

"No, that will not be necessary," said Che'koth. "Alex managed to duplicate the technology used by the Aberjani to travel. He sent me back with the belts the Aberjani use. It will allow our people to return to Antar, to a specific location."

"I still think we should bring them all out here," said Jim, the start of a plan running through his mind. "It would be just our luck to have somebody see one of them disappear."

Che'koth agreed, and he and Jim drove into town and began to recall the rebel troops. They brought the first group back to the Granolith, and they, along with Che'koth transported back to Antar. Moments later, Che'koth returned, with the belts to allow the second wave of rebels to return to their planet.

"I do wish you'd let me go back with you," said Jim. "There must be something I could do that would help those kids."

"The only thing you can do is stay here, where you will be safe. I have no doubt that you would be a worthy ally any other time, Jim Valenti, but you are not equipped to fight a battle on Antar."

Jim grudgingly agreed, and he and Che'koth brought the remaining troops back to the Granolith. Jim watched closely as Che'koth instructed the rebels on the use of the belts.

"I'm going to send them back in pairs this time," said Che'koth. "The area Alex programmed them to return to was a bit cramped when the first batch arrived simultaneously."

Soon, all the rebels were back on Antar, and Jim and Che'koth remained in the Granolith Chamber.

"There's nothing I can say to persuade you, is there?" asked Jim.

"I'm afraid not," said Che'koth.

"Are you a parent, Che'koth?" Jim asked suddenly.

Che'koth smiled sadly as he thought about his beloved Zan and Vilondra and how he lost them, only to have them return as Max, Zan and Isabel, and how he would soon lose them again.

"Yes my friend, I am a parent," he said.

"Good, then you'll understand why I have to do this," said Jim. He reached up suddenly and brought the handle of his service revolver crashing down on Che'koth's head. He quickly removed the belt Che'koth wore and fastened it around his own waist. He activated the belt and faded from sight just as Che'koth opened his eyes.


	63. Chapter 63 Goodbyes

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Author's Note:** Thanks to all of you who pointed out that there may very well be students who will betray them. While it is a VERY valid point, I'm going to explain it away nicely in this chapter because if I explored those avenues, the story would go on forever 

**Chapter Sixty – Three** – _Goodbyes _

Max looked at his friends, his expression worried.

"Is everybody ready for this, because it's not too late. You can still back out and go home. I'd totally get it if you did. Hell, part of me wants to do that, too."

"Max, we're in this together," said Liz.

"Yeah, you're just trying to get rid of us so you can hog all the glory," joked Zan

"We're a team, Maxwell. We're not going anywhere," added Michael, clapping his friend on the shoulder.

"Anybody else," asked Max, looking at Maria, Ava, Alex, Kyle and Isabel.

"We've decided to follow Isabel's advice and just ignore stupid remarks like that," said Maria, a smile hovering on her lips. "She said it worked well when you were kids."

Maria's comment caused the others to burst into laughter and the tension that filled the room began to dissipate.

"So, what do you say?" asked Ava. "One last batch of popcorn before we get organized."

"How about popcorn and organization together?" said Alex. "We have a lot to accomplish tonight. Or do we want to totally relax for a while, first?"

Relax was the general consensus, and it wasn't long before the smell of popcorn permeated the small room.

"I know we agreed to relax," said Isabel, "But I've been wondering about something. Max said he revealed himself to the trainees, but what if one of them is loyal to Kivar, even without the mind warp. Won't he turn us in?"

The others looked at Isabel in shock; none of them had even considered that possibility. Their fear was palpable as they tried to consider what to do.

"You can all relax," said Kyle. "None of them are loyal to Kivar. I got a good read on all of them while Max was doing his presto chango act. In fact, they are all so angry at being mind warped that all they can think about is destroying Kivar."

"Thank God," said Isabel.

"I can't believe I never even considered that," said Max. "I keep telling everybody I'm not a king, and this just proves it. How stupid could I be. I almost put all of us in jeopardy."

"When you're done beating yourself up," said Zan. "Could you please pass the popcorn. I don't get why you're so bent, Max. It happened, yeah, but you took a chance, a risk. That's what being a ruler is all about. Sometimes you just have to react. You don't have time to examine every angle. Do you suppose that tomorrow, when the shit hits the fan that you're going to have time to look at every possibility. Hell no! The only thing you're going to be able to do is make a choice and hope for the best. Now, since we've started talking about it, let's just get to the planning."

Liz reached over and gently squeezed Zan's hand. He was so like, but so unlike her husband. She knew it had been hard for him, finding his place in their closely-knit group, but slowly he had found his place. Nobody else would have been able to find the right words to absolve Max of the guilt he felt, but Zan was able to do it. Liz knew he'd always have a place in her life and in her heart.

Michael had a map of the city, spread out on the table, and Max and Kyle sat next to him pointing out various locations. Zan and Alex worked together, gathering supplies, readying for tomorrow's battle. Maria and Isabel put some finishing touches on the large banner, and Liz and Ava hurriedly put together several more banners to hang in various places around the city.

"What time is Che'koth expected back with the first contingent of rebels?" Liz asked to the room in general.

"I guess it depends on how long it takes to round them up," said Kyle. "And on where they do the transport. I mean, it wouldn't be too cool to have people disappear in the middle of downtown Roswell."

"Well, the belts are programmed to transport back to this location," said Alex, "So we'll know as soon as they get back."

As Alex spoke, the room suddenly became filled with what seemed like a hundred bodies. Michael started to grab one of the intruders when Max pulled him off, yelling.

"Michael, no, don't!" he shouted. "It's Che'koth and the others!"

Michael released his intended victim, and everyone scrambled to make room for the new arrivals. Each one of the new arrivals knelt down on one knee and placed their right fists on their hearts.

"King Zan," said one of the men. "We are honored to serve you."

Max shook his head in resignation and smiled at the men. "Please all of you, stand up. I want to thank you for all that you did to protect our families on Earth."

"It was our pleasure, Majesty. And now, we look forward to serving you on Antar. Please, tell us what you wish us to do."

"I wish they'd stop treating me like I was a god or something," Max whispered to the others. He turned back to smile at the men. "Please, all of you go home and see your families. Report back here in three hours."

"With pleasure, your Majesty," said the men.

Che'koth led them down the tunnel passage and out into the city. He quickly returned to the hidden room to confer with Max and the others.

"Jim Valenti is bringing the second group to the Granolith," said Che'koth. "He pointed out that it wouldn't be wise to have our people vanishing in the middle of town."

Laughter erupted around him, and Che'koth looked puzzled until Liz pointed out that Kyle had said essentially the same thing.

"Oh God," Kyle moaned. "It's my worst fear come true. I'm turning into my father."

The laughter subsided, and Che'koth prepared for his return journey.

"Are you sure this isn't too much for you?" Max asked. "One of us can go back if you want to rest Che'koth."

Che'koth, touched by his son's concern smiled. "No, I shall be fine, Max. You seem to have everything under control. I want you to promise me something though."

"What Che'koth?" Max asked, his curiosity piqued by Che'koth's concern.

"No matter what happens tomorrow, no matter what you see, or what you hear, you won't let it distract you from the mission at hand."

"Of course, Che'koth," said Max.

"Max, I'm serious," said Che'koth. "If all goes well there are some things that could occur that would become quite a distraction for you. I want you to promise me that you'll stay focused. All of you, stay focused," said Che'koth, his voice harsh. "I will not see you before the battle tomorrow, and I fully expect to see all of you at its end."

"I don't understand," said Max. "Won't you be coming back with the others?"

"No, I have a few things to attend to, but I will be back before the battle," Che'koth explained.

"Okay then, before you go," said Max. "When it's over, no matter what, everyone comes back here. Agreed?" He looked around the room, and everyone nodded their agreement. "Che'koth?"

"Aye, Majesty, I will be here," said Che'koth.

"Don't call him that," everyone said at once, and Che'koth smiled faintly. One by one, he hugged each of the kids.

"Be safe," he said softly and disappeared from sight.


	64. Chapter 64 The Call to Arms

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Chapter Sixty – Four** – _The Call to Arms_

They stood in the darkened tunnel, unsure of how to proceed. They were about to take the biggest step of their young lives, and there was a chance that not all of them would survive. They moved, without conscious thought into the foursquare position that activated the Granolith. Max and Zan at one corner, with Isabel standing several steps away from them. Michael stood diagonally across from Max and Zan, and Ava diagonally across from Isabel. Liz, Alex, Maria and Kyle formed the inner square facing outward to look into the eyes of those they loved best.

Liz reached out and took one of Max's hands, and one of Zan's as well. The others each reached out and did the same. Nobody spoke, and the moment was more powerful because of the silence. Finally, reluctantly, Max dropped Liz's hand and turned to the others.

"You all know what to do?" he asked, and they all responded with nods. "It's not too late to back out you know."

"Maxwell, it is too late," said Michael. "We're in this for the long haul."

"Will I sound like a sap if I say I love each and every one of you?" Max asked.

"Yeah, you will," said Kyle. "And if you even think about hugging me, I may have to kill you."

"I guess I'll take that risk," Max. He moved out of the square formation and pulled Kyle into a hug. "Be safe Valenti."

"You too, Evans," said Kyle, his eyes suspiciously moist.

Max moved to hug Alex, Zan, and then Michael, and by this time, none of the men had dry eyes. Maria looked at Liz, and rolled her eyes in mock exasperation, but she, as well as the others was touched by the show of emotion.

"Okay, break it up," said Maria. "Either that, or start hugging us before we all begin to wonder about your choice of partners."

Her wisecrack served to reduce the high levels of emotion that filled the tunnel. They all exchanged final hugs, but there was less of a feeling of desperation about them.

"Are you ready, Maria?" Max asked. "You're key to all of this. Timing is everything. We really want to the effect of the sun rising on the banner just as everything starts."

"I'm ready, but did anybody bother to check the weather forecast," she joked.

"As if the sun would not dare to shine when King Zan fights to take back his throne," said Ava, her eyes full of laughter.

"Yeah, and by the way _Your Majesty_," said Kyle, grimacing over the words. "When this is all said and done, I'm looking at an earldom or something, right?"

"More like court jester, Valenti," said Alex. _I'm_ getting the earldom."

"Not wanting to rain on the title parade or anything," said Isabel. "But maybe we ought to go win this thing, first."

"Are you implying that there is a possibility we may not win this, Isabel?" Liz asked in her most condescending voice.

"No, I'm implying that we have about 30 minutes to get into position," laughed Isabel.

"Oh, well in that case," said Liz. "We'd better move."

They made one final check to ensure that everyone had everything and that they knew their positions. The all hugged each other one final time, none of them acknowledging that it could be the last time, and they moved out. Michael and Maria moved up into the school, while Max, and Liz, Isabel and Alex, and Kyle and Ava and Zan moved out into the city. In their haste to move out, none of them noticed the body lying on the ground in the shadows of the tunnel.

The sun began to rise over the horizon, and the city came to life. People began to fill the market area. There was a feeling of excitement in the air that could not be contributed to the regular market day.

At the Training Academy, hungry, weary students filled the dining hall. At first, nobody really noticed the banners on the wall until Quortoth caught Michael's eye and saw him nod. Reacting quickly, Quortoth grabbed one of the banners that hung on the wall and jumped on a table.

"Fellow students, the time has come!" he shouted. "We have been oppressed by Kivar long enough! The Royal Family is among us, ready to take their rightful place and reclaim the throne of Antar. Look at the banners, you'll see them. We must fight, we will be INVINCIBLE."

Michael jumped up on another table, with Maria by his side, and the students began to yell and scream. Michael grabbed a banner and began to wave it, inciting the students to cheer louder.

"General Rath, we heard you had been killed!" shouted a student.

"Kivar did kill us!" shouted Michael. "But those loyal to the house of Antar managed to clone our essence and send us to another planet, across the galaxy where we could live in safety until we could return to free you. That time is NOW!"

Shouts filled room, and the instructors came running to try and quash the student rebellion. Maria grabbed the communicator out of her pocket, and the sounds of Pat Benatar filled the school, and the city beyond.

"Take to the streets!" yelled Michael. "We're storming the palace to rid our planet of Kivar."

The students began to push out of the dining hall, shoving the instructors out of their way. Jara Kobodi slipped into the room unnoticed through a back entrance and made her way to the table where Michael and Maria stood.

"Traitorous whore!" she yelled. She raised her hand to aim an energy bolt at Maria, but another student shouted out a warning, and Maria and Michael spun around, and Maria fired her own energy bolt, striking Jara Kobodi directly in her heart.

"That felt far too good," said Maria. "Come one, we need to get to the palace."

Michael jumped down off the table and reached up and swung Maria to the ground. He grabbed her hand and pulled her out into the hallway and down to the hidden room.

"Come one, we'll go out through the tunnel," he shouted over the noise of the rioting students.

"You were fantastic," Maria panted, struggling to keep up with the pace Michael had set.

"You weren't to shabby yourself," he said. "They went wild when they heard that music."

The couple ran through the tunnel, and came out onto a street filled with chanting people. Someone spied Michael and began to cheer.

"Look, it's General Rath! It's true, it's true!"

"To the palace, to the palace!" Michael and Maria shouted as one. They joined the stampeding crowds, never noticing the figure that slipped out of the tunnel behind them.


	65. Chapter 65 Stand up and Face the Enemy

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Chapter Sixty – Five** – _Stand Up and Face the Enemy _

Kyle climbed up on to a low roof in the marketplace, and Zan lifted Ava up, while Kyle reached down to grab her. Zan scrambled up beside them as the sound of Pat Benatar filled the air. Banners inscribed with the words from the song appeared, anchored to the roofs of various buildings. Kyle smiled with satisfaction, pleased to see that Che'koth's rebels had managed to get all the banners in place.

The confused citizens stopped and looked around, trying to figure out what the music was, and where it was coming from. A roar went up from the crowd when somebody spotted Zan standing on the roof, next to Ava and Kyle, their fists raised up towards the rising sun.

The people began to chant, calling out Zan's name. Ava nudged Zan discreetly, and he moved forward and used his communicator to amplify his voice.

"It is time to free ourselves from the bonds Kivar has used to enslave us!" he shouted. "People of Antar, join me in reclaiming our world from that usurper, Kivar!"

"Kivar is our true Lord!" shouted one of the people in the crowd. "He freed us from the tyranny of the Royal Family!" He fired off an energy bolt at Zan, but people in the crowd jostled him causing his shot to go wide.

Zan watched as the crowd turned on the person and began to rain blows down on him.

"Don't!" Zan shouted. "Leave him. We need to move forward to take the palace."

As planned, they jumped down off of the low roof, and made their way to the palace, the large crowd following behind them while the amplified song echoed throughout the marketplace.

Isabel and Alex made there way to the business district just as the sun broke on the horizon.

"Damn," Isabel said. "We're running behind."

"We're fine, Isabel, relax," said Alex. "Look that's where we need to be." He pointed to the center of the business district where a large statue of Kivar was located. They stopped, and both of them fired repeated bolts of energy at the statue until it collapsed to the ground.

Alex jumped up on the rubble and held his hand down to Isabel to help her scramble up beside him. The morning sun began to filter in among the tall buildings as a crowd formed, called by the sounds of the statue tumbling to the ground. The communicators planned by the rebels came to life, and the sounds of music filled the area.

"Look, it's Princess Vilondra," somebody called out. "She left the palace!"

"Vilondra, the real Vilondra is dead!" shouted Isabel into her communicator. Her amplified voice carried over the crowd, and her words shocked them to attention. Kivar killed her, but our trusted scientists managed to recreate our essence. We were sent to a planet called Earth in the hopes that we would survive to come back and fight for our world. I am now called Isabel, and I am here to fight for you, to fight **with** you to free you from Kivar's rule!"

"You lie!" shouted one person. "Vilondra is in the palace with Lord Kivar!"

"There is another," agreed Isabel. "She was created by Kivar's scientists, but they were unable to duplicate the process used to give me life. She is defective. She doesn't speak. You people knew the real Vilondra. She was not meek and mild. She fought for what she wanted, as do I. And what I want is your freedom!

Banners spilled down from the tall buildings, the words written on them echoing the words of the song that played around them.

"It's time for you to make a stand!" shouted Isabel. "And with the power of conviction, there is no sacrifice. It's a do or die situation, we **will** be invincible! Fellow Antarians, I carved those words into the throne room floor. My brother, your King is here. Come help restore him to his rightful place as the King of Antar!"

The gathering crowd roared their show of support, as Alex and Isabel jumped down off the rubble and made their way to the palace, with the crowd falling in behind, cheering madly.

"Ready?" Liz asked.

"As I'll ever be," said Max. "Let's do it!"

They approached the palace slowly, sticking to the shadows as much as possible. All too soon, they reached the rendezvous point, and the contingent of rebels that Che'koth had arranged for them to meet.

"Welcome, majesty," said one of the rebels, stepping forward. "I am Radnar. Che'koth sent us to meet you."

"Max, wait," said Liz, holding up a restraining hand. "How do we know this isn't a trap?"

"You're Queen is quite wise, Majesty. But we have words, given to us from Che'koth that should reassure you," said Radnar. "Che'koth said we should call you Max, and if we did not, the Queen would bestow upon us the most dreadful titles imagined."

Liz swallowed a nervous giggle, and beside her, Max relaxed slightly, and smiled at the men.

"Thank you," Max said. "You've all worked so hard, and done so much. When we are successful, it will be because of you."

"We are honored, Majesty, to do whatever we need to restore you to your rightful position," said Radnar.

Max shook his head ruefully. Che'koth may have said for the men to call him Max, but apparently, the message didn't really sink in.

"Is everything ready?" Max asked.

"Yes, Majesty. Everything is as was requested," answered another of the rebels. If you are ready, we'd best hurry. The sunrise will soon be upon us.

Radnar led Max and Liz through a labyrinth of passageways to the bottom of a staircase.

"We'll take it from here, Radnar," said Max. "You go get into position."

"Are you sure, Majesty?" Radnar asked. "I am reluctant to leave you alone here."

"It has to be done, we need you out there, helping to coordinate everything," said Max.

"As you wish, Majesty," Radnar replied. He bowed to Max, and made his way back through the passages to the outside of the palace.

Max and Liz climbed the flight of stairs and climbed out onto a deserted balcony. Max nodded to Liz, and she reached out, and pulled on something, and the giant banner the group had labored over cascaded from the roof above them, ending just above the balcony where they stood.

"Liz, it's blank," said Max, struggling to contain his panic.

"I know," said Liz, with a sweet smile. "Don't worry. Maria had an idea."

"Maria had an idea?" he asked weakly. "No, nothing to be worried about, there."

"Max, you should relax," said Liz. Well, not relax," she amended, "But have a little faith."

As she spoke, the sun broke over the city. Max looked down to the city below, and saw what looked like thousands of people moving towards the palace. The suns rays caressed the banner, and Liz reached her hand out and touched it, and a blaze of color exploded across it.

The crowd shouted out, and Max spun around to look at the banner. Emblazoned upon it was a series of pictures. On upper left corner there was a picture of himself, with Liz at his side. In the next corner, an image of Isabel and Alex. On the lower right corner, Michael and Maria and the fourth corner had an image of Ava and Kyle. His eyes drank in Maria's "surprise" and he turned to Liz and smiled as the music rang across the city, spurring the citizens to join the fight for freedom.


	66. Chapter 66 The Battle Part 1

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Chapter Sixty – Six** – _The Battle Part One _

"There they are," said Liz, pointing to where Michael and the others had gathered.

"Ready?" Max asked.

"Not for this part," said Liz, "But it's not like we have a choice."

She wrapped her arms around Max's neck, and he reached up grabbed a pulley on a wire.

"Hold on," he said.

Liz planted a quick kiss on his cheek. "For luck," she said.

"You're a queen, Liz, not Princess Leia," Max said. He gave a jump and they slid down the wire just as the Aberjani came rushing out onto the balcony.

They slid down the wire, landing in front of the palace gates where Michael and the others were waiting.

"Michael, behind you!" Max shouted as he and Liz touched the ground.

Michael whirled around and began firing upon the guards that poured out of the castle. The others followed suit, and the guards began to fall. Max gave the signal for them to stop firing, and raised a shield to protect them while he spoke to the crowds gathering in front of the castle.

When the shield was visible, the people began to chant their support, and many of the guards stopped firing in shock at the sight of the royal seal.

"Radnar, are you're men ready?" shouted Max.

"Aye Majesty!" shouted Radnar from the crowd. "To arms Antarians, to arms! Long live King Zan!"

Max lowered the shield and they began to fire on the guards again.

"We must take the palace!" he called to the rebels.

Michael began to press forward towards the castle, with Max at his side.

"We have to find Kivar and take him down!" Max shouted as he blasted a guard. The smell of burning flesh filled the air, and he choked down the gorge that threatened to rise up into his throat."

"Oh shit, Maxwell, here come the Aberjani," warned Michael. "Alex, I hope that trigger mechanism works right."

"Don't worry, it will," Alex shouted. "Good luck!" He broke away, followed by Zan and together they led a group of rebels around one side of the palace looking for another entrance. Isabel and Maria led another group of rebels around towards the back of the palace. Michael, Max, Liz, Ava and Kyle pushed forward, pressing towards the gates, firing energy bolts all the way.

The Aberjani, led by General Kobodi came charging out, carrying the weapon conceived by Liz and Alex in their hands. It was almost comical to see the mind warp breaking on some of the Aberjani as they fingered the trigger mechanism. Those that had been mind warped stopped dead, and fell to their knees as the warp broke. However, there were quite a few Aberjani that were not affected by the trideka. Max assumed that they were loyal to Kivar in their own right.

They began firing at the Aberjani, and the Aberjani fought back, firing not only on them but on their compatriots that were no longer mind warped. Screams of agony filled the air as bolt after bolt crashed into the rebels and Aberjani alike.

Zan held a hand, signaling Alex and the other rebels to wait. He moved ahead several yards. He motioned to the others to move up to where he waited.

"Looks like it's clear up ahead," he whispered. "I think we should move in, and try to come up around the Aberjani that are out front. That way we'll have them virtually surrounded."

"Sounds good to me," said Alex. "But don't you think you should stay in back? We don't want you out in the line of fire."

"The hell we don't!" snapped Zan in an angry whisper. "What's the matter, don't you think I can handle it?"

"Of course I think you can handle it," said Alex. "I just don't want you getting hurt. You're the king, remember?"

"I'm not the king, Max is, now lets get our asses and gear and move out," said Zan.

Zan let out a battle cry and charged towards the palace, Alex and the rebels racing behind him. From out of nowhere, a group of soldiers loyal to Kivar appeared, firing energy bolts at the small band of rebels. Zan, acting instinctively, threw up a shield, which caused the bolts to rain harmlessly around them.

"Okay, I want all of you to get into formation," shouted Alex. "When I say now, Zan, I want you to drop the shield for 3 seconds then put it back up. That should give us each enough time to get off a couple of shots. Make sure you count though," Alex warned the rebels. "I don't want our blasts bouncing back at us when Zan puts the shield back up. Ready, **NOW!**"

Zan dropped the shield, and Alex and the others each fired off a couple of energy bolts before Zan put the shield back up. Alex watched with pleasure as the troops loyal to Kivar dropped back and ran towards the palace.

As they fired, there was a loud explosion, and a bright flash of color filled he sky around them. Alex whirled around trying to see where the flash came from.

"What was that?" he shouted. "Did anybody see where it came from?"

"Forget it!" shouted Zan. Let's go." Zan, took off running after the troops. They sped closer to the castle, dodging intermittent energy bolts fired at them from the palace.

"Do you think you can hold that shield while we run?" asked Alex

"Yeah, I think so," said Zan. He put up the shield, and stopped running to stare at the shield. He blinked his eyes several times waiting for the image to change, but it stayed. On his shield was the Antarian seal.

"What do you think it means?" he asked an equally confused Alex.

"Damned if I know," said Alex. "We'll figure it out later. 

"Come on," Maria whispered to Isabel. "We can get in this way, right?"

"Yeah, Che'koth marked it on the map," said Isabel. "Let's go."

She opened the door, and followed Maria and the troops into the palace.

"Flush out as many troops as you can," Isabel whispered to Maria. "I have to go do something."

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Maria demanded. "There is nothing in the plan about us splitting up."

"Think of it as one of your famous surprises," said Isabel. "Now go, will you? I'll meet you at the throne room. If you get there before I do, start sealing it up. I don't want that bastard to ever set foot in it again."

Maria looked worried, but she also knew by the look in Isabel's eyes that nothing was going to change her mind.

"Fine," she said, hugging the taller girl. "But if you die, you can explain it to Alex, okay?"

"Right," laughed Isabel. "I'll be sure to do that. Now go, will you?"

Isabel watched as Maria and their small band of rebels slipped down the hallway. As soon as they were out of sight, Isabel began to make her way towards her parent's bedchamber.

"Come Vilondra, my pet. We must get you to safety," Kivar said.

Isabel peered around the corner and saw Kivar, leading her double down the hall. She stepped out into the hallway and raised her hand.

"That's right, you bastard, you mustn't forget your little plaything."

Kivar stopped dead and spun around, and his eyes widened at the sight of Isabel standing before him.

"Vilondra, my love, is it really you? You've come back to me."

"I've come back to _kill_ you, you sorry excuse for a human," said Isabel, her voice edged with steel. She stepped forward, moving closer to Kivar and her clone.

"Vilondra, love, didn't you learn the last time that it is pointless to try and resist me? I always win in the end," said Kivar.

"Right, you won by mind warping the entire world into believing that you are a good and just leader. Or did you win by making yourself a duplicate of me to be your plaything? You're lucky she can't talk Kivar, because if she could, she'd probably tell you the same thing."

"Vilondra, my love, stop it," said Kivar. "You love me, you know you do. Just as I have always loved you."

Isabel watched as the Vilondra clone stiffened slightly. She turned to face Isabel and smiled slightly and touched first her face then Isabel's. The clone then lowered her hand to Isabel's chest, and Isabel crumpled to the floor, unconscious.

"My God! What did you do to her?" roared Kivar. "You've killed her!"

"I protect you," whispered the clone.

Kivar roared with anger and grabbed the Isabel clone by the hand and dragged her down the hallway. He opened a door, and shoved the clone inside an empty room.

"Get in there you stupid bitch and stay there. I have to go see if I can save her." He slammed the door on the clone and ran back down the hall to where Isabel's body had fallen.

Kivar pulled up short when he arrived at the spot to find Isabel's body had disappeared.

"Not again!" he shouted. "I'll not lose her again!"

He ran back down the hall to the room that imprisoned the clone and threw the door opened. He rushed into the room and reached for the clone. Just as he reached for her, the clone pressed her hand to her heart and fired an energy bolt into her own body, causing it to burst into flames.


	67. Chapter 67 The Battle Part 2

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Chapter Sixty – Seven** – _The Battle Part Two_

"Isabel, Isabel, wake up. Don't be dead, Isabel."

Isabel, moving upward through the layers of consciousness groaned.

"Maria?" she whispered. "See, I kept my promise, I'm not dead. I just wish I was."

"That's good, but I'm not Maria," said the voice.

Isabel struggled against the fog that clouded her mind and she forced herself to open her eyes. The image in front of her wavered in and out of focus, and Isabel blinked her eyes several times, unwilling to believe what she was seeing.

"Sheriff Valenti?" she asked, shocked. "Is that you? What are you doing here? Oh, please, don't tell me I had an accident and this has all been some type of Dallas shower dream?"

"It's me, Isabel. I'm here, and let me tell you, I was so worried when I saw, hell, what did I see? It looked like you, knocking you unconscious."

Isabel groaned as she pulled herself to a sitting position. "What are you doing here?" she asked. "Never mind that, _HOW_ did you get here?"

"Well I'm here because I didn't like the thought of you kids fighting a war without some back up," explained Jim.

"Jim, we have half the damn world behind us," said Isabel.

"Well, now you have half the damn world plus one behind you," said Jim. "As for how I got here, that's a little bit more complicated. We don't really need to go into it now."

"Yes, we do," said Isabel, her voice growing suspicious. "As a matter of fact, I think we need to go into a couple of things, right now. First, tell me exactly how you got here." She held up her hand and pressed it against Jim's chest. "Or you will be very sorry."

Jim swallowed deeply, trying to calm the fear that rose in his chest. This was an Isabel he had never seen before, a serious and deadly Isabel. He wiped a bead of sweat from his brow and prepared to explain.

"I met Che'koth in the pod chamber, and he explained about the belts that Alex had created. I helped him round up the rebels, and we brought them back to the pod chamber to transport out. I didn't think it made a lot of sense to have people disappearing in downtown Roswell."

At this comment, Isabel smiled recalling Kyle's reaction when he found out he and his father were thinking the same way.

"Anyhow, I told Che'koth I wanted to go back with him to help you, and he disagreed. So I persuaded him that he was wrong," explained Jim.

"Persuaded him, how?" questioned Isabel, not liking the tone of his voice.

"With the butt of my service revolver," Jim admitted. "I whacked him over the head and knocked him out. I grabbed his belt and here I am."

"Che'koth went down to Earth yesterday," said Isabel suspiciously. "Where have you been since then?"

"Lying in a huddled mass in some tunnel," said Jim. "I guess space travel doesn't agree with me. I slept for what seemed like forever. I followed some people out of the tunnel today, but I didn't realize it was all of you until you were out of sight."

"This is all quite well and good," said Isabel, almost convinced. "But I'm still not sure. Give me one good reason why I should kill you right here."

"Because I never told your parents I caught you and Alex parking out in Millers Woods one night when you were supposed to be at the library," said Jim.

"Sheriff, it really is you!" cried Isabel. She threw herself into the sheriff's arms and hugged him tightly. "How are our parents? How is everybody?"

"Everybody was fine," said Jim. "Or they were the last time I saw them."

"Look we need to get out of here," said Isabel. "Follow me."

"Follow you?" Jim asked. "Isabel, you can barely sit up, let alone lead me anywhere. What happened back there anyhow? Who was that other person?"

"The guy was Kivar," said Isabel. "The woman, well she was another me; a plaything he made for himself."

"A plaything he made for himself?" queried Jim.

"Yeah, you know, a duplicate, a clone. Kivar wanted Vilondra, and when she wouldn't bow down to him, he killed her, but he realized that he needed her, so he made himself a new one," Isabel explained bitterly. "Now help me up, we need to get out of here before he gets back."

Jim stood up and helped Isabel to her feet and helped her down the hallway.

"Why did she do that to you?" asked Jim. "Or should I be asking why didn't she kill you?"

"I don't know," said Isabel. "She can't speak, and I heard that she doesn't really think. She just wanders around after Kivar, like a little puppy dog."

"Were are we heading now?" asked Jim. "Someplace where you can rest, I hope."

"Up here," said Isabel, pointing to a staircase. "We're meeting Maria and the rest of our team at the throne room. We're going to try and seal it off so that Kivar can't get in there again."

"Can you do that?" Jim asked, helping Isabel up the stairs.

"We'll find out in a second," said Isabel. "Look there they are."

"Um, Isabel, why do you have someone who looks suspiciously like Sheriff Valenti with you?" Maria asked, her voice trembling.

"Possibly because it is Sheriff Valenti," said Isabel.

"Okay, Isabel, why are you practically being carried by Sheriff Valenti?"

"Because I tracked down Kivar, and his little Vilondra clone knocked me out."

"I don't suppose you though to bring any cedar oil with you?" Maria asked Jim who shook his head.

"I give up," said Maria, throwing her hands up in the air. "We had a plan. I specifically remember a plan. But is anybody following the plan? No, I don't think so."

"Focus Maria, focus," said Isabel. "I'm here, we're following the plan now."

"Can you do it?" Maria asked.

"I'm going to try. Get the others to guard my back. You watch the sheriff," she added in an undertone. "I'll do this as quick as I can, and we'll get the hell out of here."

Isabel walked up to the throne room door and placed her hand over it. She focused intently on the memories Che'koth had implanted until she found what she needed. A burst of light shot out from her hand, and the door to the throne room disappeared, leaving only the Antarian Seal in its place.

"That was too cool," said Maria, rushing over to Isabel, dragging the sheriff along with her. "Are you okay?"

"Surprisingly, I feel better," said Isabel. "Stronger even. Come on, we need to get outside."

The rebels, along with Isabel, Maria and Jim Valenti rushed down several staircases, and back out the side entrance. The battle raged around them, and Maria led them to a stand of trees that would provide some shelter while the organized themselves. Isabel grabbed one of the rebels and pulled her to one side.

"Do you see that man?" she asked, pointing to the sheriff.

"Yes, Princess," said Lynran.

"Your job is to guard him with your life. Do whatever you have to do to keep him safe. He must be protected at all costs. Do you understand me?"

"Yes Princess," answered the woman.

"Thank you Lynran," said Isabel. "He is a very special friend to the royal family. People!" she shouted. "We need to make our way around to the front of the palace. Are you with me?"

"We are with you, Princess!" shouted the rebels. "We are with you!"

Kivar himself led the next wave of Aberjani's out into the courtyard. He jumped up on a pile of rubble and began to scream directions. As he shouted, his eyes searched the approaching rebel forces until his gaze locked in on his hated enemy.

"Give up, Zan!" he shouted at Max. "I killed you once, I'll kill you again!"

"Surrender Kivar!" Max yelled. "Surrender and we'll let you live."

"Fool!" shouted Kivar. "Haven't you learned anything? There is no mercy for those weaker than you. You are too softhearted Zan. It has always been your greatest weakness!"

A loud explosion filled the air, and bright flash of light blinded everyone temporarily. Panicked shouts filled the air as everyone tried to figure out exactly what had happened.

"Shit, Maxwell, look!" Michael shouted pointing to the top of the palace.

Max along with the others looked up to where Michael was pointing. There atop the highest part of the castle was the Granolith, and it filled the air around it with a shimmering light.

"The Granolith," people around Max whispered in awe. "The Granolith is back."

"Max, focus!" shouted Liz, pushing to the ground as a bolt of energy passed over his head. "You have to focus, no matter what. Remember what Che'koth said?"

"I don't know what kind of foolish trick this is, Zan!" shouted Kivar. "But it's too late. The Granolith can't help you. Kill him!"

Several Aberjani hefted their weapons and pointed into the growing crowd of rebels, but more threw their weapons to the ground and ran towards the rebels, their hands raised in the universal sign of surrender. Max reached down and grabbed one of the weapons and pointed it at Kivar.

"Go ahead, Zan!" shouted Kivar. "Do it. Nothing would give me greater pleasure!"

"As you wish," said Max. He depressed the firing mechanism and watched with satisfaction as the energy bolt went straight to Kivar's heart, incinerating him.

"No!" came the angry shout, and Max spun around to see General Kobodi battling his way towards him. He ran towards Max, his arm extended as he prepared to shoot a bolt of energy at the king he killed once already. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a figure tackled him and sent him flying to the ground.

"You son of a fucking bitch!" shouted Kyle. "I've been waiting to do this for to fucking long. He began to beat Kobodi with his fists shouting as he did.

"You killed her you bastard. You raped and killed her, and now, I'm going to kill you! You are a worthless piece of shit!"

Kyle was so intent on destroying Kobodi that he failed to notice one of the remaining Aberjani sneak up behind him and pull him off of Kobodi and throw him to the ground.

"You weak and worthless trash," Kobodi snapped, through the blood that filled his mouth. "Who is it that you defend so honorably? No matter. I'll kill you where you stand."

"Kyle, look out!" screamed Ava.

"Ah, so that's it," said Kobodi, his eyes filled with hate. "Ava, the fair Ava. Yes, I did so enjoy my time with her. It was such a shame that she died so quickly. But fate has brought me another Ava. How kind."

"You mother fucking son of a bitch," said Kyle, struggling to stand up. "I'm going to kill you if it's the last thing I do."

"It very well could be," said Kobodi. He raised his hand and pointed it at Kyle, firing a steady bolt of energy at him.

"Kyle look out!" a voice shouted, as someone knocked him to the ground.

Dazed, Kyle looked up to see Michael, Zan and Max all fire at Kobodi, causing his body to disintegrate into a pile of ash. He pushed himself up, trying to figure out who had pushed him out of the way. He looked around, and let out a scream filled with pain. Lying on the ground next to him was the body of his father.


	68. Chapter 68 After the Battle

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Author's Note:** I have to apologize to everyone. I know that **somewhere** in this story, I named Zan and Vilondra's father, but I can't find it anywhere. If anyone remembers it, or knows what chapter I put it in, please pm or email me so I can fix it.

**Chapter Sixty – Eight** – _After the Battle _

With the death of Kivar and Kobodi, those still loyal to them laid down their arms and surrendered. Michael directed Radnar to escort the prisoners to a holding area.

"If there is any resistance," he said to Radnar. "Kill them."

"I don't think there will be, General. Now that the Granolith is back, they can see how wrong they were," Radnar explained to Michael, but Michael wasn't standing next to him any longer. He knelt, along with the King over the body of one of the fallen.

"Alex!" Isabel shouted, her voice filled with fear. "Please don't let it be Alex!" She ran across the battlefield towards the small gathering. Liz stepped in front of her and stopped her.

"It's not Alex," Liz said.

"Then why won't you let me through!" Isabel cried.

"Isabel, calm down!" shouted Liz. "Alex is over here. He was wounded slightly, but he's going to be fine."

"Who's over there?" asked Isabel, "Zan, Kyle? Oh please don't let either one of them be hurt."

"Isabel, you need to go see Alex," said Liz, gently, trying to steer her away from Jim Valenti's body. "Come with me, okay?"

"How badly was Alex hurt?" asked Isabel, some of her panic subsiding.

"It's just a flesh wound," explained Liz. "He was grazed by an energy bolt, but it's nothing serious. But he's really concerned about you, so I promised to find you and bring you over to him."

"Thanks Liz, you're a good friend," said Isabel.

Liz escorted Isabel to where Alex sat. She gave both her friends a worried smile before rushing back to where the others stood.

"Max, can't you heal him?" Liz whispered slipping up beside her husband.

Max turned to Liz, his eyes filled with tears.

"I can't," he said, his voice thick with unshed tears. "I tried, Zan tried. Hell, we even tried together, nothing worked. He's dead Liz."

"Where's Kyle?" Liz choked. "Is anybody with him?"

"Ava is with him. They're over there," Max said, pointing to where the other couple sat.

Liz looked over and saw Kyle sitting on the ground, his arms cushioning his head as he rested it on his knees. Ava sat with her arms around her husband and both sobbed uncontrollably.

"Should we go over do you think?" she asked as Zan joined their mournful group.

"No, I think they just need to be alone for a while," said Max.

Liz moved in between the two men and put her arms around their waists. She looked over to where Maria stood, wrapped in Michael's protective embrace.

Alex, Isabel supporting him on one side limped over to the saddened group.

"Why so glum?" he asked. "We won, right?"

"S-someone didn't make it," Liz said softly.

"What? What are you talking about? We're all right here?" said Alex. "Kyle and Ava are over there, and here come Michael and Maria. Who didn't make it?"

"Oh God!" whispered Isabel. "No. No, no, no!" she screamed. "Not the Sheriff. It can't be the Sheriff."

"You knew he was here?" demanded a shocked Max. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"Max, stop it!" said Liz. "Give Isabel a chance to explain. Don't start attacking her like that." She turned towards her friend and touched her softly on the arm. "Isabel, how did this happen?" Liz asked. "How did he get here?"

"I didn't know he was here," said Isabel. "It was when Maria and I took our group to the palace. We, well, we got separated," said Isabel. "I went after Kivar. I wanted to stop him myself. But I couldn't. He was, well, I don't know what he was going to do," she continued. "But my duplicate put her hand out and knocked me out."

"What?" shouted Alex.

"I don't think she was trying to kill me. I think, well, I think she knew what she was doing. She knocked me out to protect me. She wanted Kivar to think she had killed me. The next thing I knew, I was waking up, and Jim was there. Isabel broke down and began to sob. "I didn't know what to do with him," she continued. "I mean, I couldn't drag him into battle, but I needed to be here. I assigned one of the rebels to guard him. I swear I did."

"Isabel, don't do this to yourself," said Liz. She stepped out of Max and Zan's arms and moved over to hug the other girl tightly. "You had no control over what happened. You did the only thing you could."

"Try telling that to Kyle," Isabel cried. "His father is dead because of me."

"My father is dead because he saved my life," said Kyle softly. He nodded to Liz, and she stepped aside, and he wrapped his arms around Isabel. "I don't know how he got here, but he died saving me. Can you honestly think of a better way for him to go out?"

"I don't care," said Isabel. "I gave a direct order to someone. It was the only time I've ever played the princess card, and where did it get me. I need to find Lynran, and I need to find her now."

"Stop, Isabel," said Che'koth, appearing out of nowhere, with Lynran cradled in his arms. "Kyle, your father fought with me to come here to help you. When I said no, he knocked me out and took my belt."

"How did you get back?" asked Max.

"The Granolith," said Che'koth, simply. "We have a lot to talk about, but first, I need you to heal Lynran."

Che'koth laid the Antarian woman on the ground, and Max and Zan knelt down on either side of her. The placed their hands on her body and focused on her injuries. Within moments, she was sitting up.

"Princess, I am sorry," she said to Isabel. "I failed you."

"You did," said Isabel, her voice filled with anger. "You allowed the first adult we ever trusted with our secret to die. I think it's only fair that you die as well."

"Isabel!" shouted Che'koth. "You don't mean that."

"Don't I?" Isabel snapped. "Jim was there for us every time we needed him. He put his life in jeopardy for us, and this is how we repaid him, but letting him die."

"So be it," said Lynran, standing in front of Isabel. "If the Princess feels that I should die, then that is what must happen.'

Isabel raised her hand and pointed it at Lynran, who stood stoically, waiting for the burst of energy that would end her life. An eternity passed in that moment, and Isabel lowered her hand and cried.

"I can't, it's wrong," she cried. "I'm not like that, really I'm not. I'm not a monster like Kivar."

"No my precious love, you are not," said Lynran, moving to take Isabel into her arms. As she spoke, her appearance changed, until she stood before them, looking exactly like the woman who had spoken to them through the communicator so many years before.

"Look!" shouted a voice. "There, next to King Zan and Princess Vilondra. It's King Drinian and Queen Kitana!"

Max and the others stared in shocked amazement at the places where Che'koth and Lynran had stood. The two people standing there resembled an older version of Max and Isabel.

"Is it?" Max started to ask than stopped.

"Come, my son," said Drinian. We don't have much time."


	69. Chapter 69 The Granolith

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Chapter Sixty – Nine** – _The Granolith _

"What did you say?" asked a severely shocked Max.

"I said we don't have much time," said the other man.

"You called my your son, and those people are calling you the king. Are you my, _our_ father? You've known all this time that you're our father, and you haven't said a word? And now you're telling me we haven't much time? Well screw you! I've made it this far without you. Come on, let's get out of here," he said to the others.

Max was so caught up in his anger that he didn't notice the fist that came out from beside him and sent him flying to the ground.

"You God damned stupid selfish fucking son of a bitch!" shouted Kyle. "My God, Max. I am sick to death of you're poor wronged little me attitude. You have a man standing here who has saved your ass on more than one occasion, and he's your father. So he didn't tell you, so what? He had his reasons. Why don't you try acting like an adult instead of a spoiled boy king, and find out why. Now get up of your fucking ass and do what he's telling you to do."

Max jumped up off the ground and launched himself at Kyle. He raised his fist to strike back when Liz stepped in between the two.

"Max, stop it!" she shouted. "You don't want to do this, you're just upset because you couldn't save Jim. Kyle's right. Che'koth had his reasons why he didn't tell you. You need to talk to him, and **listen** to him and found out why."

"You knew, didn't you?" Max asked, coldly. "You've known all along who he was, and you didn't tell me."

"I figured it out," admitted Liz. "And you could have too, if you'd paid attention to somebody other than yourself. You know what, Max? Kyle's right. You're so wrapped up in your poor little me attitude, that you don't notice things that are right in front of your face. Grow up, will you, before you lose everything that's important to you."

Liz turned away from Max and walked over to where Che'koth and Lynran stood.

"Drinian, Kitana, what do you need us to do?" she asked.

"Liz, don't," whispered Drinian. "Don't put your relationship with Max in jeopardy because of us."

"I'm doing this because _I_ want to," said Liz, and no other reason.

"Bring the body of your friend," Drinian directed. "We must bring him to the Granolith, quickly."

Everyone except for Max moved quickly and carefully lifted Jim's body.

"Max, you would sacrifice someone you care about because of your pride?" Drinian asked.

Max didn't say anything to Drinian. Instead, he moved into place and next to Alex and offered to take his place.

"No, I'm good," said Alex. "It doesn't matter how badly I hurt. If Che'koth, I mean Drinian says we need to do this, then I do it."

As they carefully carried Jim's body off of the battlefield, legions of citizens knelt down before them showing their support. Drinian and Kitana both offered reserved smiles to their subjects. Isabel cried unabashedly, the tears streaming down her face as she helped to carry the body of her friend. Zan looked stoically ahead, hurting more for his friends' loss rather than feeling the loss himself.

Liz blinked rapidly, trying to staunch the stem of tears that streamed down her face. She watched Kyle, who was walking in front of her, carefully, trying to gauge his emotions. She couldn't even begin to imagine the pain he was feeling right now.

As they walked, a voice began to sing out, soft at first, but growing stronger with each passing note. Liz looked over at Maria, unsurprised to see her friend singing, but instead of the pulsing rock beat they had grown used to. She gave the song a mournful beat.

_This bloody road remains a mystery__  
__This sudden darkness fills the air_  
_What are we waiting for?_  
_Won't anybody help us?_  
_What are we waiting for?_  
_We can't afford to be innocent_  
_Stand up and face the enemy_  
_It's a do or die situation_  
_We will be invincible_

_This shattered dream you cannot justify_  
_We're gonna scream until we're satisfied_  
_What are we running for?_  
_We've got the right to be angry_  
_What are we running for?_  
_When there's no where we can run to anymore_

_We can't afford to be innocent_  
_Stand up and face the enemy_  
_It's a do or die situation_  
_We will be invincible_  
_And with the power of conviction_  
_There is no sacrifice_  
_It's a do or die situation_  
_We will be invincible_

_Won't anybody help us?_  
_What are we running for?_  
_When there's no where, no where we can run to anymore_

_We can't afford to be innocent_  
_Stand up and face the enemy_  
_It's a do or die situation_  
_We will be invincible_  
_And with the power of conviction_  
_There is no sacrifice_  
_It's a do or die situation_  
_We will be invincible _

As the last notes of the song, echoed across the battlefield, the mournful group entered the palace and carried the body of their fallen comrade up flight after flight of stairs until they reached the portion of the roof that now housed the Granolith.

Drinian motioned for the others to lay Jim's body inside the Granolith. After they did, he moved closer to Max.

"You have to do this," he said to his son. "You're the king."

"Damn it!" Max shouted, the tears falling freely down his face. "I keep telling you that I'm nobody's king. I tried to save him, and I couldn't. He's dead."

"He'll do it," said Zan, stepping forward. "We'll do it, together."

"You can't, my Son," said Drinian. "The Granolith chose Max, first. Don't be afraid, Max."

"I am afraid," said Max in wonderment. "How did you know when I didn't know?"

"He's an empathy too, you idiot," snapped Kyle. "Why do you think he was able to help me deal with my new powers? You shut yourself off from so much, Max," Kyle continued in a softer voice. "Because you are afraid. Open yourself up to everything that's happening. Trust the people around you. Trust us. We're not going to let you down."

The tears fell so rapidly from Max's eyes, he could barely see as he moved over to where his parents stood, waiting.

"I'm sorry," he whispered to them both. "What do you want me to do?"

"Climb into the Granolith," instructed Drinian. "And kneel down beside him. Look inside yourself, Max. You know what to do. You have to trust yourself."

Max climbed into the Granolith and knelt beside Jim Valenti's body. He closed his eyes and concentrated. Liz watched the range of emotions play across his face as he accessed the knowledge that he needed. Suddenly, the Granolith began to hum, very softly, and it's base turned a rich dark purple color.

Suddenly, Zan jumped into the Granolith beside Max. He knelt down and whispered something in his ear. Max smiled at Zan's pronouncement, and the two stood up and hugged quickly, before Max jumped out of the Granolith chamber.

"Quick," he said to everyone. "Get into position. Come on, we don't have much time.

They all reacted quickly, and assumed the positions they had first taken in the Granolith chamber when it was on Earth. As it did the first time, the color at the base of the Granolith moved slowly upward, lightening in hue as it moved closer to it's apex. When the light reached it's pinnacle, it was bright silver white, and it spilled forth from the Granolith, enveloping the room and it's inhabitance in it's dazzling light.

For several minutes, the room was filled with light, until it slowly began to recede back into the Granolith, growing darker and darker until it only the bottom was filled with a dark but dazzling deep purple color.

Max strained to see into the Granolith, but he was unable to make out anything through the darkness. Finally, the light faded away, leaving everyone staring in shocked amazement at what they saw.


	70. Chapter 70 Healing

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Chapter Seventy** – _Healing _

Ava began to weep at what she saw in the Granolith. Jim Valenti stood before them, completely healed, while Zan lay unmoving at his feet.

"Step out, Jim Valenti," said Drinian. "The Granolith's work is not yet finished.

Jim stepped out of the Granolith and walked straight into the outstretched arms of his son.

"Jesus, Dad," Kyle whispered, brokenly.

"I'd do it again," said Jim.

"Please, all of you, you need to focus," said Drinian.

"Everyone, back into position," said Max, a new authority in his voice. "I was right when I said _I_ couldn't do it. I can't, but _we_ can. Zan reminded me, we're stronger together than we are apart. The Granolith needs all of us to make this work. It's not about me, and it's not about any one of you, it's _us!_"

Kyle quickly returned to his corner of the square, and the Granolith began to pulse with color again, only this time, the light ranged from deepest green at the base to a bright gold that came shooting out of the Granolith. The room filled with dazzling gold, and it enveloped the group as they stood around the Granolith.

"It's not working!" Max shouted to the others. "Focus all your energy on Zan. He needs all of us to help him."

The golden light grew brighter and brighter, until at last, it was almost a pure white. It subsided with a flash, revealing Zan's body still lying in the Granolith, and the bodies of Max and the others lying on the floor, their outstretched arms reaching as if to embrace the Granolith, and the figure lying in side of it.

"Che'koth, what the hell is going on here?" demanded Jim. "What happened to my kids?"

Che'koth smiled at Jim's reference to _his_ kids. His wife had been wise to suggest Earth as a place of refuge for their children. They had so many people who loved them.

"Be calm, Jim Valenti,' said Drinian. "Have faith. Max did. It was a lesson he finally learned, and now you must learn it to. Faith is what brought you back, and faith is what will save them.

As Drinian spoke, Max stirred first, struggling to pull herself up to his hands and knees. He pulled himself over to Liz, and pressed his ear to her chest. His shoulders sagged with relief when he heard her heart beating strongly in her chest.

Max looked around in dazed confusion and saw Michael and Kyle both pulling themselves to a sitting position. Max pulled himself up and struggled weakly towards the Granolith as Michael dragged himself over to check Alex and Isabel. 

Max reached out and touched the base of the Granolith. As soon as he did, the Granolith immediately turned various shades of blue, ranging from a midnight blue at it's base to the palest ice blue at it's pinnacle. The light quickly faded, and Zan stood up inside the Granolith and stepped out and stood next to Max.

"What the hell happened," Max said, his voice still weak.

"You got me," said Zan, his voice just as weak as Max's. "Last thing I remember was the two of us switching places. After that everything is a blur."

Alex stood up slowly and helped Isabel to her feet, with Michael's help. They walked slowly over to Kyle and Ava, while Michael moved back over to help a struggling Maria.

"I so do not feel good," said Maria. "Actually, I feel like I just worked 3 double shifts in a row at the CrashDown. Anybody mind cluing me in on what just happened?"

"I think that's everybody's question," said Max, lifting Liz to his feet with Zan's help.

"We can discuss this later," said Drinian, "But right now, I believe the people are waiting to see their king."

"Then you'd better go see them," said Max. "I'm sure they'll all be very happy to know that you're alive."

Liz looked at him to see if he was being bitter or sarcastic, but he seemed to be truly sincere.

"I'm not the king any longer, Max, you know that," said Drinian. "I stepped down and succeeded the throne to you. I cannot retake the throne again. It is Antarian law."

"I meant it every time I said I wasn't anybody's king," said Max. "I've proven it more times than I can count. I understand that the Granolith chose me, but I'm not sure what to do about it. I can't ask Liz to stay here, and I can't imagine staying here without her."

"Max, none of this has to be decided right now," said Kitana. "All we are asking you to do, all of you to do," she said, including the rest of the group in her glance, "Is to go out and let the people know that all is well."

"But is it fair to them to have me, to have us, go out here when we don't know if we're staying?" asked Max.

"Max, I am pleased to see you thinking of the people," said Drinian. "You are their king. Go to them, let them know you survived, and that those who died did not die in vain."

Max turned to the others. "What do you think, guys?" he asked.

"Max, you need to do this," said Liz. "Che'koth, I mean, Drinian is right. We don't need to make any decisions now, but we do owe it to the people out there to let them know everything is okay."

"She's right," said Michael. "Come on Maxwell, you're not wearing the crown jewels or whatever, your just letting them know you're alive."

"Isabel, what about you, what do you think?" Max asked.

"I don't know, I'm just as confused as you," she said. "We've had a couple of huge shocks," she added, looking at her parents. "I can't even begin to take it all in. Let's just take one step at a time, okay?"

"That was helpful," said Max with a wry grin. "Ava, what about you?"

"I agree with Michael and Isabel. A lot has happened in the past few hours, you need time to take it all in, but you also owe it to those people out there to let them know you really are here," said the petite blond.

"Zan, what about you?" asked Max.

"Why you askin me, man? You're the king, remember?" asked Zan. "I'm good with whatever you decide."

"No, we're the king," said Max. "I'm you, and you're me. If we had both been together at when the Granolith activated, it would have chosen both of us. If I go out there, you're going out there with me."

"Okay," said Zan, finally. "I got your back."

"And I have yours," said Max with a smile. "Come on everyone, let's go greet our public.

Drinian looked on silently, pleased at the strength and maturity both Max and Zan had shown in what could have been an incredibly awkward situation. They still had so much to discuss, and so many things to explain, as well as so many decisions to make, but for right now, everything was going to be okay.


	71. Chapter 71 The Royal Seal

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Chapter Seventy – One** – _The Royal Seal _

"That wasn't so difficult, was it?" asked Kitana after the others returned from the balcony.

"Only if hordes of adoring people are scary," said Kyle.

"We need a plan," said Liz. "It's time to sit down and think about what comes next."

"It's also time for a lot of questions to be answered," said Isabel. "Including why you never told us you were our father," she added, looking at Drinian.

"You are right," admitted Drinian. "We do have much to discuss."

"Later," interrupted Max, who had been, up until now, sitting quietly in a chair away from the others.  
"Right now, we need to recall what is left of the Senate. Is there any way to contact the surviving members?"

"Yes, there is," said Drinian, a smiling appearing on his face.

"And we need to recall the surviving cabinet members and advisors as well," added Zan. How soon can this be done?"

"Word can be sent out immediately," said Drinian, his smile growing wider still. It pleased him to see his sons making decisions regarding their world.

"How long will it take them to get here?" asked Michael, joining the conversation. "And what about the Royal Antarian Guard. Did any of _my_ men, I mean the men survive?"

"Many did, and were imprisoned. "We freed as many as we could. Most of them formed the core of the resistance group," explained Kitana.

"Hey, Space Boy, slow down," said Maria. "What's with the my men thing?"

"They are his men, Maria," explained Drinian. "He's finally accessing the memories of Rath, as are Zan and Max. They are calling upon the knowledge of their other lives to help them with the decisions they are making now."

"Maria, relax," said Michael, taking his wife into his arms. "I'm not planning on staying here. I made my choice; my life is with you, on Earth. But while I'm here, I'm going to do what it takes to help rebuild this world."

"When did you get all noble?" Maria asked with a watery smile. Sometimes Michael could be so insightful, it was almost scary.

"How soon before we can get everyone assembled?" asked Max.

"Most could be here by tomorrow," said Drinian. "Would that be acceptable to you?"

"Yes," answered Max and Zan simultaneously.

"Fine," continued Max. "Make arrangements for them to arrive, we'll have to prepare quarters for them all, and after that, we sit and we talk."

"So be it, Majesty," said Drinian, bowing his head to hide a smile.

"Don't call me that!" Max yelled, in mock anger, while the others echoed the sentiment right along with him.

The very tired group finally sat down to a meal together late in the evening. They amazed the palace staff by working right along side them to remove the signs of battle, and prepare the palace for the senate and cabinet members. By unspoken agreement, nothing of importance was discussed over dinner, and instead, Jim filled them in on the happenings in Roswell since they had been gone.

When the meal ended, they left the great hall and traveled though the palace to the stand outside the sealed doorway to the throne room. Isabel proudly removed the barrier, and the group entered the throne room. Max and Kyle shared a private smile while they examined the seal that appeared on the throne. By unspoken agreement, they decided to keep the panic they shared when the seal appeared unmentioned.

"Max, please step forward," commanded Drinian. "And take your rightful seat as the King of Antar."

A reluctant Max stepped forward and sat on the throne. He looked out at his friends and gave an uncomfortable smile.

"What do you think?" he asked the room in general.

"It's so you, girlfriend," said Maria, breaking the tension that had begun to mount.

"I'd like to try something if you don't mind, Max" said Drinian. "Please step down and remove the seal."

"Remove the seal?" asked Max in confusion. "How do I, never mind, I know, access the memories," he finished with a smile. He passed his hand over the seal and it disappeared from view. "I did this before," he said. "When Kivar attacked the palace. Michael and I came in here first and removed the seal."

"That's right, my son, you did," said Kitana. "You knew the dangers Kivar presented, and you took what measures you could to ensure that he could never rightfully take the throne. Only the King, or a descendant of the king could cause the seal to appear."

"That's why he wanted the Vilondra clone," whispered Isabel. "He wanted a make her pregnant. That way, the child could take the throne, and he could control the child."

"But it didn't happen, Isabel," said Alex, pulling her to him. "It didn't happen."

"Zan, please take the throne," said Drinian.

"Why?" asked Zan, refusing to move.

"Let's just call it an experiment," said Drinian with a laugh.

Zan reluctantly moved forward and sat on the throne, and the seal appeared again. When it did, the others gasped in amazement.

"What does it mean?" asked Liz. Is Zan the king now?"

"I'm not done yet," said Drinian. "Zan, remove the seal. When he does, Kyle I want you to take the throne."

"Hey, I'm kingly in my own right," said Kyle, "but I'm not _the_ king, you know?" Never the less, when Zan removed the seal, Kyle stepped forward and sat on the throne, and the seal appeared again.

"Put it out, put it out!" he shouted, causing Max to laugh.

"Now who's channeling whose inner panic, Kyle," Max said.

"Shut up, Evans," said Kyle. "I have a few things I could add to this conversation, and you wouldn't like them very much."

"This is me, shutting up," said Max as Kyle stepped off the throne. Max quickly removed the seal, and Drinian motioned for Liz to sit down.

Liz gave Max a nervous smile, but did as she was asked, and the seal appeared. She jumped up quickly out of the throne and moved to Max's side and took his hand.

"I don't think I liked that very much," she whispered. "What does it mean?"

"I guess we'll find out eventually," Max whispered back.

Together they watched as the rest of their friends sat upon the throne, and caused the seal to appear. When they had all finished, they looked at one another, while a thousand unspoken questions echoed in their heads.

"We are almost done," said Drinian. "Max, if you would remove the seal please?"

Max stepped forward and removed the seal. After it was gone, Drinian sat upon the throne that had once been his own. Everyone waited expectantly, but the seal did not appear. Drinian stepped down and escorted Kitana to the throne. She perched delicately upon it, but again the seal did not appear. When she stepped down, Drinian motioned to Jim to step forward. He did so, reluctantly, afraid of what would happen. He sat gingerly on the throne and waited, but the seal did not reveal itself.

"What does it mean?" Liz asked again, this time louder. "Why is the seal appearing for all of us, but not for you?"

"I gave up the throne," explained Drinian. "I can never reclaim it, nor do I want to."

"Great," said Alex. "We know why it didn't turn on for you, or whatever it does, but why did it turn on for us?"

"It's very simple, Alex," said Drinian with a grin. "When I said the Granolith chose, I was correct. When I said it chose Max, I was wrong. The Granolith chose you all."


	72. Chapter 72 The Story Unfolds

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Chapter Seventy – Two** – _The Story Unfolds_

A stunned silence filled the room; nobody knew what to say. Finally Jim broke the silence.

"Why don't we go someplace a bit more comfortable and figure this out," he said. "No offense against your throne room or whatever it is, but it isn't really a welcoming kind of place."

Drinian roared with laughter. "Jim Valenti, I do like you," he said. "I haven't quite forgiven you for knocking me out back on Earth, but even that worked out to our advantage."

"Why don't we return to the family quarters?" suggested Kitana. "It is far more comfortable, and we can relax and talk there."

"Um, we may not want to go there," Isabel said, quietly. "Kivar took them over as his own."

"He is unable to erase the memories that already exist in that room, my daughter. We spent many happy times there together, and no power on Antar could remove those memories," Kitana explained, reaching out to take Isabel's hand in hers.

They traversed the hallways of the palace and found themselves standing outside the doors to Drinian and Kitana's private rooms. Drinian pushed the door open and stepped inside. He surveyed the charred but still recognizable remains of Isabel's clone on the floor, and quickly stepped back into the hallway and closed the door.

"Perhaps we need to find another room to talk in," he said, placing himself between the group and the doors.

"What is it?" questioned Kitana. "What has happened?"

"There was some fighting in there," said Drinian. "The room needs to be cleaned, that is all."

"That isn't all," said Kyle, suddenly, "And Isabel needs to see it. She can handle it."

"See what?" asked Isabel. "What do I need to see?"

Drinian reluctantly stepped away from the door, and allowed Isabel and Alex to step forward and open the door. Isabel's hand hovered over the handle. She didn't want to go in there, but she knew that if Kyle said she could handle it, she could handle it.

"Isabel, you don't have to do this if you don't want to," said Alex.

"No," she said, resolutely. "Kyle thinks I need to do it, so I'll do it."

She squared her shoulders and pushed the door open and walked into the room, Alex still by her side. She stopped and stared in horror at the charred remains of her duplicate on the floor.

"He killed her," she whispered. "It's my fault that she's dead. She saved me, and he killed her."

"I'm not really sure about that, daughter," said Drinian. "I think she did it herself. If Kivar had done this, no part of her would have remained. I believe she fired an energy bolt into her own body. She was not completely consumed because when she died, the energy supply to the bolt would have been cut, of course."

"She was far more noble than I could ever dream of being," said Isabel, wiping a tear from her eye. "She saved me from that monster, and then, rather than be with him, she took her own life. I'd like to think she realized in the end that he was evil." She turned to Drinian and Kitana. "Would it be possible to honor her in some way?"

"Why as me, daughter? You have been chosen to lead, as have the others. The decision is yours," said Drinian.

"Then I say we do it," Isabel said decisively. "But I also think you are right, Father," she added, testing the word for the first time. "This is not the place for us to talk."

"Come with me, children," said Kitana.

"Wow, look at her," Ava whispered to Maria. "She's really slipped into mother mode."

"I heard that," Kitana said with a grin. "Behave, Ava, I am your aunt after all."

Her words sent a shock waves rippling through Michael. He hadn't made the connection yet. Che'koth said his sister was Michael and Ava's mother. He smiled slightly when he felt Maria's hand creep into his. She squeezed his hand and smiled up at him.

"Looks like the Christmas card list is getting bigger this year, Space Boy," she whispered.

Michael laughed appreciatively, but deep inside, he was thrilled. He loved Maria, and there was no doubt she was his life, but finding out that Ava was his sister had filled an aching void in his life. And later, when he found out that Max and Isabel really were family, he felt that void fill even more. Adding an aunt and uncle to the mix really rounded things out for him.

Kitana opened a door, and led the group into what Liz took to be a drawing room, a very formal drawing room. She looked around at the elegant furniture, looked down at her own dirt smeared clothing and sighed. There was no way she could sit on any of the furniture looking like this.

Kitana passed her hand over a dark spot on the wall, and a panel slid back to reveal a door. She pushed the other door open and led the group into a room that resembled a family room back on Earth. The furniture was much simpler, and looked pretty beat up already. In fact, it looked suspiciously like a room where two small children could grow up and play, without fear of ruining something of value.

"I know this place," said Max, looking around.

"I would hope so," said Drinian. "You spent much of your childhood here, playing, and then, when you started your education, you would study here. And now, I think it is fitting that we have a kind of summit here to answer the questions that I am sure are echoing in your minds."

"Why didn't you ever tell us who you were?" demanded Max before anyone had a chance to sit down.

"You certainly aren't wasting a lot of time, are you, Max?" said Drinian. "But, it is a fair question, and I will do my best to answer it. It is a long story though, and I suggest we all make ourselves comfortable before we begin."

Drinian waited until everyone was seated, before he began his tale.

"When your pods were sent to Earth, along with the Granolith, it was with the intent that you would remain in stasis, and not emerge until you were adults. At the same time, the memories we implanted in you were supposed to develop and mature, as you did, so that when you left your pods, you would have a full working knowledge of life on Antar. However, you exited the pods early. Why, we do not know. It is possible that the pods were damaged when the ship carrying them crashed. But you emerged far sooner than anticipated and with no memories of your lives on Antar."

Drinian paused, waiting to see if they had any questions for him, but the group sat, spellbound, waiting to hear what he would say next. Taking a deep breath, he continued his story.

"As I said, it was planned that when you emerged, you would know how to activate the Granolith, and find your way home, if you chose, to fight for your world."

"What do you mean, if we chose?" Max asked.

"Max, the decision for you, for all of you, to come back here could only be made by the four of you, not by me. I was, am, your parent, not your master," said Drinian. "In any event, you emerged as young children, and had, for the most part, wonderful lives." He glanced at Michael, the sorrow in his eyes revealing the pain he felt at Michael's upbringing.

"When the eight of you activated the Granolith, it was cause for celebration here on Antar, or so I thought. At first, I thought it was the four of you, but when I saw you there, all of you there, my heart was filled with both joy, and sadness."

"Why?" asked Liz.

"I was overjoyed to see that my family was alive," explained Drinian, "But when I saw how happy all of you were together, how you belonged together, I knew I couldn't ask you to come home and fight this war."

"You keep talking about how it was our choice to come back or not," said Max. "But you never gave us the choice. By remaining silent, you made the decision for us," accused Max.

"I want you to think for a moment, Max. I knew almost right away that Liz was with child. I also had some inkling of the terrible evil you were going to be fighting in Tess. Suppose I had told you everything, right then and there, would you have left Liz, your unborn child, and everyone you'd ever known to come back and fight this war?"

Max couldn't say anything because he realized what his father said was true. He could never have left Liz. He thought about what his father said, and came up with another question.

"Fine, after everything was said and done, and we were here, willing to fight, why didn't you tell us who you were?"

"And how fair would that have been?" asked Drinian. "I believe your Earth expression is laying a guilt trip on somebody? How could I do that to you?"

"He tried to tell you so many times," Kyle said. "If you had just paid attention, you would have known."

"Oh, and I suppose you knew?" Max asked, anger and frustration making his voice harsh.

"Yeah, I did know," said Kyle. "I've known for a while now."

"Right, and did Liz tell you, or did you tell Liz?" demanded Max, some of the repressed jealously he felt towards Kyle coming to the surface.

"Neither, you dumb jackass," said Kyle. "The love Che'koth felt for you was easy to read. It just poured off of him. Besides, if you had just listened to him, you could have figured it out on your own. He kept urging you to access the first Zan's memories, as well as he memories of the royals that came before you. If you had done that, you would have found that your father's memories weren't there. They couldn't be, because he was still alive."

"How did you know, Liz?" Isabel asked. _Did_ Kyle tell you?"

"No," said Liz, quietly. "I just listened to Che'koth talk. He treated you, well all of us, actually, exactly like our parents do. Plus it was pretty easy to see the love he felt shining in his eyes. I called him on it a while ago, I was going to ask him outright, but he reminded me of the position I was putting myself in if he did tell me. I would have been forced to either keep a secret from Max, or share something Che'koth didn't want us to know. So I didn't ask him."

At this, Drinian laughed. "Instead, she asked me if the face I wore as Che'koth was my true appearance. I could truthfully tell her that it wasn't, and then, she asked me to please reveal my true appearance to her. I did, but I never truly confirmed her suspicions. Your wife, my son, is a very clever woman indeed."

"I have a question," said Zan, who had, up to now, remained silent.

"Yes, Son, what is it?" asked Drinian.

"The Granolith, what the hell is it, and what happened when it showed up on top of the palace?"


	73. Chapter 73 Confession is Good for the S...

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Chapter Seventy – Three** _Confession is Good for the Soul_

Max stood up and walked across the room and stepped out onto a small balcony that overlooked a private courtyard. He leaned against the railing and watched the two moons come up over the mountains in tandem, filling the courtyard below with a shimmering light.

Max felt so conflicted, he didn't know what to do. He knew he sounded like a pompous arrogant ass every time he opened his mouth lately, but he couldn't help it. He was so confused. He wanted nothing more than to sit down and talk to his father. Not Che'koth, or Drinian, or whatever the hell his name was, but his _father._ The man who taught him how to hit a ball, and drive a car. The one who rescued him and Isabel from the desert that dark night so long ago.

"Mind if I join you?" the Sheriff asked, standing in the doorway.

"What, oh, no, Jim," said Max, coming out of his reverie. "How are you feeling?"

"A hell of a lot better than I've felt in a long time, I'll tell you that," said Jim.

"Guess we took care of all those other aches and pains when we healed you, huh?" Max asked with a grin.

"Well, yeah, you did," admitted Jim. "But that wasn't what I was talking about. I was talking about how I felt in here," he said, pointing to his heart. "I am so relieved Max, because for the first time since I found out about all of you, I know you're safe. You aren't in danger anymore. Not from Tess, or Kivar, or any alien race of super soldiers. The nine of you can finally start living."

"Yeah, that is something bordering on the side of incredible, isn't it?" said Max.

"And yet, I'm getting a feeling that you're still pretty unhappy, Max. Why is that?"

"I don't know," said Max. "You'd think I'd be on top of the world, instead, I'm acting like a world class jackass. For Christ's sake Jim, I'm a king, a _freaking king_! How many kids grow up pretending they're a king, and here I am, King Max."

"It's a pretty big responsibility, isn't it?" asked Jim. "But I'll tell you one thing, Max, if you chose to shoulder it, you'll do fine. I've never seen you fail at anything you've tried to do. And I'm going to be honest with you, son, I don't think that's what's bothering you. Now do you want to talk about it, or are we going to sit here and look at the moons all night?"

"God, Jim, I don't know. I really don't," said Max, his expression conveying the anguish he was unable to verbalize. "You know what I was sitting here thinking about a few minutes ago? How much I wish I could talk things over with my dad. You know, get his take on everything."

Jim smiled to himself, at last Max was getting to the route of the problem.

"Well, you can," he said. "He's sitting in there right now with the others talking."

"He's not my dad!" Max shouted, unaware of the tears streaming down his face. "He's not. My father is Philip Evans. He's done everything for me, and that man in there, what has he done?"

"He gave you life, not once, but twice," said Jim, calmly, pulling Max into his arms. "And he sent you far away so that you and the others would have the chance to live. You're right Max, Philip is your father, and nothing will ever take that away from you. You don't have to choose, you have room in your heart, and in your life to love them both."

Jim listened quietly while Max poured out his conflicted emotions about having two fathers, purging himself of all the doubt he was feeling. When Max calmed down, he pulled away, embarrassed at his outburst.

"I'm sorry," he stammered. "I acted like an ass."

"No, now you're acting like an ass," said Jim. "Before you were acting like someone who has been through a lot, and has a lot to deal with. I want to ask you a question, Max."

Max stared at Jim, puzzled by the unexpected turn in the conversation, but listened quietly.

"Do you love Liz?" the Sheriff asked.

"Well, yeah, of course I do," said Max. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"Do you love Isabel any less than you love Liz?"

"Well, no, but that's different," said Max.

"Okay, what about Michael, you love Michael, right?" asked Jim, pressing the issue.

"You know I do," snapped Max, getting angry.

"And Kyle and Alex? What about them?"

"They're my best friends," said Max. "I'd die for them."

"And me, Max, what about me, Max? I'd like to think that you love me, because God knows I love each and every one of you kids and I think of you as my own," said Jim, emotion thickening his voice.

"Jesus, Jim, if it wasn't for you, I'd probably still be stuck in the white room. You saved my life. I- I don't know what I, what any of us would have done with out you," Max said, softly.

"Then let me ask you one more question Max. Knowing how you feel about me, does it diminish, even one little bit, the love you have for your parents?"

"No, it doesn't," Max admitted. "I guess I've been a complete jackass, haven't I?"

"No, what you are is a confused young man who has gone through more in the past few years than anybody in our world will ever go through," said Jim. "Well, if you excuse me," Jim continued, "I'm going to head inside. It's getting pretty chilly out here."

He walked to the doorway and stood in it for a second, looking at the moons rising higher over the mountains. "Think about it, Max."

"Is he okay?" Drinian asked Jim when he returned to the small gathering.

"He will be, but it's going to take some time," said Jim. "But Max is a smart boy, Che'koth, he'll come around."

"He came around already," said Max, walking up to the two men. "Thank you," he said to Jim. Jim merely nodded and slipped away to go join the others across the room.

"And thank you," Max said to Drinian.

"What do you thank me for?" asked Drinian.

"As a wise man explained it to me," said Max, smiling at Jim Valenti. "You gave me life, not once, but twice. Thank you for that, and thank you for letting us go, and giving us the chance to have a normal existence. It couldn't have been easy for you to make that choice. But you did it. Everything you did, you did for us, and I've been a perfect bastard about the whole thing."

Drinian stepped closer to Max and pulled his son into an enveloping bear hug. "You are so welcome my son," said Drinian. "I hope you never have to feel the same kind of pain and agony I felt at making that decision."

"I don't know if I could be as selfless as you were," said Max. "I've proven more than once what a selfish bastard I can be."

"You are young," said Drinian. "In most instances, selfishness is part of the package. Selflessness tends to develop as you mature."

"When you're ready," said Max. "I'd like to hear the rest of your story. Father," he added, this time saying the name with love and respect.


	74. Chapter 74 A Father's Story

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Chapter Seventy – Four** – _A Father's Story_

"Are you ready now to hear the rest of the story?" Drinian asked.

"Well, actually, I'm kind of hungry," said Kyle. "Do you think we can get something to eat before we begin."

"Kyle," Kitana said kindly. "This is a palace, and you are one of the chosen rulers. You can have anything you'd like."

"Hey, you, wench," said Kyle, pointing at Ava. "Fetch me a Ho Ho. Ow, ow! Hey, cut it out!" Kyle shouted while everyone else laughed. Ava, in retaliation for Kyle's little outburst had used her powers to set the pillow he sat upon on fire.

"Actually, you will find that all of your belongings, including those you had stored in the tunnel room have been brought over to the palace," said Drinian. "So finding you some food that you will enjoy won't be very difficult. We will arrange for somebody to bring in some," he paused, searching for the right words.

"Junk food," offered Alex.

"Exactly," smiled Drinian. "Thank you Alex."

"Okay, now that we have the food issues taken care of," said Kyle. "I'm good."

"Before I can tell you what you want to know, I want to share something with you, all. I made a very big mistake, and because of it, our world suffered a great loss. It was because of me that Kivar was able to take control."

"No, Drinian, it wasn't," said Kitana, placing her hand on her husband's arm. "Kivar was an evil, villainous man, and he would have found a way, no matter what."

"No matter," said Drinian, addressing his wife. "They need to know my role in everything so that they don't blame themselves."

He took deep breath, steeling himself to share the unhappy memories that led to the fall of Antar. Seeing the pain and sadness in his eyes, Liz moved forward, and knelt down next to his chair. She didn't say anything. There wasn't anything she could say, but she wanted to be there to support him, the way he supported and comforted her when she lost her child.

Drinian looked down at Liz, and saw the love and support reflected in her eyes, and he smiled. Reaching down, he took her hand in his and squeezed it gently, drawing strength and comfort from her.

"I turned my back on a very important part of our culture while I was Antar's leader," he said. "And I made the mistake of passing my beliefs on to my son, and this played a large part in allowing Kivar to take control of Antar."

"Why, what was it?" asked Zan, clearly confused.

"The Granolith," answered Maria and Ava. Both girls smiled at each other, the animosity they once felt towards each other was long gone.

"Exactly," said Drinian. "It was the Granolith. "But how did you know?"

"We saw it appear on top of the palace," said Ava. "And you could just see this change come over the faces of the people. It was like they all had blindfolds taken off or something."

"Exactly," said Drinian. "You both are very observant. That trait will serve you well in your lives."

"See that, Space Boy," Maria said, nudging Michael in the side. "You should pay more attention to me."

"I always do, Maria," said Michael, rolling his eyes skyward. "I always do."

"So, you were saying, Father," said Max. "About the Granolith?"

"Yes," said Drinian, suppressing the smile of satisfaction he felt at Max's words. "The Granolith. It is a very important part of our culture, and one I chose to, while I did not ignore it, I didn't respect it either. The Granolith is a religious icon of sorts. We have a central deity that we worship, and it is common belief in our world that the Granolith was given to us by our deity."

"That doesn't explain what Ava said she and Maria saw happen when it reappeared," said Isabel.

"I'm not explaining this well," said Drinian. "I will ask you to just bear with me while I try to explain this. The actual physical structure of the Granolith is rumored to have just appeared thousands of years ago. Our people assumed it was a gift from our deity. Technology is also a very important facet of our lives, and someone at one time, managed to harness the energy of the Granolith."

"But what does it do, exactly?" asked Liz and Alex simultaneously.

"You two are ever the scientists, aren't you?" laughed Drinian. "We are unaware of many of the gifts of the Granolith, but one thing it does do is impede the ability to mind warp."

"And was that the giant flash I saw when the Granolith appeared, Father?" asked Zan.

Again, Drinian smothered a smile at hearing his sons call him Father. "That is it exactly, Zan," he said. "When the Granolith returned to it's proper home, the force field reactivated itself and broke the mind warp Kivar and his people had created. I was foolish; I didn't respect the power the Granolith had. There are so many things that it is capable of doing, and I, in my arrogance thought that we didn't need it."

"You mean like the way it married us or whatever you want to call it, back on Earth," said Alex. "I get it, but I don't get _how_ it did it."

"I don't either, or I would explain it to you," said Drinian. "The collective consciousness that you absorbed, is stored, in part, in the Granolith. It isn't something we did, it just happened when a person died. I believe when it was sent to Earth, it absorbed the collective consciousness of Earth as well, and that is how it knew that the eight of you were destined to be together. Each one of you compliments the other. You are like two sides of one coin, and the Granolith sensed that, and joined you."

"So, it's alive, then?" asked Isabel.

"Yes, and no," said Drinian. "Is it a living, breathing entity, no, it is not, but it does seem to grow in sense of it's abilities. It is very confusing, indeed."

"Fine, it's confusing," said Maria. "Everything about you people is, so that's no surprise, but I'm still not getting how your not believing in the Granolith led to all of this."

"Many of our people learned how to block the power of the mind warp without the aid of the Granolith," said Drinian. "I believe you told me one time that Michael had this ability." He looked over at Michael who nodded. "You're mother did as well," Drinian continued. "She was instrumental in teaching many people this skill. But because so many people could do it, I did not believe the Granolith was a necessity. I did not guard it as it should be guarded. Each successive king of Antar is entrusted with the guardianship of the Granolith. I was derelict in my duties, and allowed it to be taken. That was how Kivar was able to create his intricate mind warp that enslaved our world."

"But what exactly happened?" asked Max. "You didn't just leave it unguarded, did you?"

"No, even I, in my arrogance would never have done that, but I wasn't careful about the guards that I did chose, and worse, I allowed my attitude regarding the Granolith to rub off on you. You saw how I reacted to the Granolith, and you adopted my attitude for your own."

Max's expression darkened at his father's words. He felt the weight of failure pressing down on him. He opened his mouth to answer his father, but Drinian was quicker.

"No, Max, it wasn't your fault, and it wasn't Zan's fault," he added, looking at his other son's hangdog expression. "You learned at my knee not to believe in the Granolith. The fault is mine, and no others."

"But since the Granolith was on Earth, you must have been able to gain control of it again," said Liz.

"No, I was not," said Drinian. "When Zan fell in battle, I made my way to the Granolith to see if it would choose me as King again. I knew our people needed a leader, but it would not choose me. I knew then what I had to do. I made arrangements to have it sent to Earth to watch over you. Had the incubation pods worked as intended, you would have known exactly what to do. Luckily, you were smart enough to decode the books and activate it yourselves."

"Then how did the Granolith get to Earth with us?" asked Zan. "Or with them, I should say?"

"Zan, we had no idea how far Kivar's duplicity stretched," said Drinian. "You know of course how his people mixed up the pods. We knew from previous experiments that one set would prove to be more viable, and well, adapt better to the duplication process. You saw for yourself how evil Lonnie and Rath were, as was Tess. Statistically, one half of the embryos were going to develop poorly, or with defects. You, my son, beat the odds, and survived and developed with out the defects." Drinian paused and took a drink from the cup Kitana passed him. He set the cup on the floor beside him, and continued his story.

"As I said, statistically, four of the eight embryos were supposed to develop with defects. We did our best to choose which had the best chance of developing normally. However, Kivar's people switched the embryos before we had a chance to send them to Earth. Our people did the best they could to try and figure out which was which, but remember, there was a civil war going on at the time. In the end, the decision was made, and the Granolith went to New Mexico."

"For the most part, your people chose well," said Kyle. "I mean, Ava got stuck in New York, and we got Tess the beast, but honestly, I don't think they ever figured two of the Zan pods would develop normally. What I want to know is what happened to their protectors? I mean, Nescado, not much in the way of a father figure, you know?"


	75. Chapter 75 The Gadori

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Author's Note:** This chapter is dedicated to my wonderful friend Patty, because it's all her fault. She said the two words that are guaranteed to get me thinking – What if. 

**Chapter Seventy – Five** – _The Gadori _

"What protectors?" Kitana asked, her face a mask of worry. "No protectors were sent with you."

"Sure there was," said Zan. "Nescado was always hanging around our crib, telling us about Antar, and how we were going back, and we were going to rule. He'd be there for months, and then he'd jet somewhere and we wouldn't see him for a while."

"Nescado came to us too," said Max. "He's the one who brought us Tess. He said he and some other protectors were sent down to watch over us, but they were all captured by the military when the ship crashed."

"Tell us more about Nescado," said Kitana. "What was he like?"

"He was cold and unfeeling," said Liz. "He kidnapped me one time by pretending to be Max."

"What do you mean, by pretending to be Max?" Kitana asked. "Surely you knew what Max looked like."

"But that's just it," said Liz. "He looked exactly _like_ Max. He _was_ Max."

"How did you find out he wasn't Max," Kitana asked, her face a mask of worry and fear.

"When he kissed me, I didn't get the flashes I usually got with Max. These were angry and violent flashes. He was evil," said Liz.

Max reached over and held her hand tightly wishing she didn't have to relive the horrible memories of Nescado. That whole experience had been terrifying for all of them, but for Liz, especially.

"Gadori," said Drinian, his expression bleak.

"What are the Gadori?" asked Kyle.

"The Gadori are a race of people who are, well adaptable," explained Drinian. "They can adapt to survive wherever they are. They are able to change to look like the people around them. They not only learn to mimic their abilities, they develop them as well, to a certain extent."

"So you mean that all the time Nescado was teaching us to use our powers, he was actually teaching himself?" Ava asked in horror. "We taught him to do those evil things?"

"No, Ava," said Kitana, reaching out to place a soothing hand on the girl's arm. "I'm afraid that the Gadori learned all about us many, many generations ago. At one time, they were enslaved, and we fought to free them. We thought they were our allies, and they traveled freely to Antar from their own planet. Who knows," she added bitterly. "Maybe at one time they were our allies, but as time passed, the aligned themselves with Kivar. They betrayed us."

"Okay, so you're saying that Nescado wasn't really sent down to watch over these kids?" said Jim. "Damn, I should have realized that, myself."

"How?" Drinian asked, logically.

"I don't know, I just should have known. These kids are my responsibility. I told them I'd help them, and I left them alone with their enemy so many times. He could have killed them all."

"No, he couldn't," said Kitana. "When we fought to free the Gadori's from slavery, they pledged their lives to us, they would always obey the ruling family, and never harm them. However they managed to leave themselves a way out of their pledge. A direct order had to be given from the Antarian king to a Gadori for the order to be filled. If the king were to make a proclamation, or issue a law, the Gadori's were not honor bound to obey because it was not issued to them directly."

"Sneaky little bastards, aren't they?" asked Michael. "Now I'm wondering if Nescado is really even dead."

"You have good cause to worry," Michael," said Drinian. "If they have sworn their fealty to Kivar, nothing except for death will end it. It won't matter to them if Kivar is dead, they will still carry out their orders."

"So, if their orders are to make life a living hell for Max, Isabel, Ava and Michael, they'll keep on doing it?" asked Alex. "That is so not good."

"Um, is anybody besides me freaking over the part where they can't hurt the royal family, but they can hurt other people, like oh, say **us**, and our friends and families!"

"The Granolith has chosen you, Maria, you are protected," said Drinian.

"But what about our families?" asked Isabel. "What about our Mom and Dad?"

"I'm sorry, they are not protected," said Drinian, softly.

"Send guards down for them now," ordered Max, acting like the king that he now was. "Jim, are you feeling up to going back with them to explain to everyone what's going on?"

"Of course, Max," said the Sheriff, standing up. "I'll go whenever you think the time is right."

"Father, how long before we can assemble a division of guards to watch over our families?"

"It will take several hours, most of the people I would recommend for this are home with their families," explained Drinian.

"I hate to tear them away from that," said Max. "Especially when they have risked so much for us already, but I don't see any other way."

"Alex and I can go down with my dad, tonight," suggested Kyle. "That way, you guys can do the king thing or whatever you need to do. When they show up, we'll beam back up, or whatever it is we do."

"I'll go with them," said Zan, immediately.

"I don't like the idea of any of us being separated," said Max. "And you especially need to stay here, Zan. "You're the king now, too. No more life of leisure for you, with leadership comes responsibility," joked Max.

"Funny, brother, funny," said Zan.

"He's right," said Michael. "There isn't any way I can do my job and be your second in command if you're on two different planets."

"I don't need you to baby-sit me," Max and Zan said together.

"Who the hell said anything about baby sitting?" asked Michael. "I'm you're general, not your diaper changer. I'm guessing we're going to be planning strategies and stuff tomorrow when all the cabinet members get here. We need to be here to do that, not on two different planets."

"That's my husband, ever the voice of reason," said Maria. "How about if I go back, too. I'm just as capable of doing guard duty as anybody."

"No, you're staying with me," said Michael. "I want you here where I can protect you."

"Michael, Michael, these caveman tendencies are so, well, Neanderthal," said Maria, her joking tone belying the anger in her eyes. "I'm a big girl, I can blow the bad guys up all by myself now."

"I just don't want anything to happen to you, okay?" Michael shouted.

"Well, since you put it that way," said Maria, throwing herself back against the chair upon which she sat. "What girl could turn her back on a pronouncement like that."

"Kyle, Alex, I'm not ordering you to go, I'm not even suggesting it," said Max. "But if it's what you want to do, then I say go for it."

"Come," said Drinian, standing up. "I'll take Kyle, Alex and Jim to where we stored the belts. And from there, I'll begin send word to the men who will be returning to Earth."

They all stood as one, and those remaining had hugs for those that were leaving.

"Stay safe," Isabel whispered to Alex. "And tell my mother,"

"I know, you love her," said Alex. "You know I will, Isabel, and I'll make sure they know you're safe."

"I don't want you to go," she whispered.

"I have to Isabel, it's for the best. Kyle and I are the ones who can be spared to go back and make sure everything is okay back home," Alex explained.

"I know," Isabel said. "But I don't have to like it."

"I'll be back tomorrow, Isabel, I love you." He held her tightly and kissed her passionately and turned and walked over to where Drinian and the others were waiting.

Kyle and Ava said their goodbyes in a quiet corner of the room. Kyle reached down to wipe away a tear that tracked down Ava's cheek.

"I can't believe I'm acting this way," Ava said. "I'm being such a baby."

"You're not being a baby," said Kyle, struggling to contain his own emotions, trying to be strong for Ava. "And I'll be back tomorrow, I promise."

"It's just that we've been nothing but apart since we came here, and now you're going back down there. You can't get more apart than that," Ava said, laying her head on Kyle's muscular chest.

"I'll be back," Kyle said again, this time in his best Terminator voice. It wasn't a good imitation, but it had the desired effect, causing Ava to laugh.

They finally finished saying goodbye, along with a great many thanks to Jim for all he had done for them. The remaining group stood silently together as they watched their friends walk out the door to begin their return journey to Earth.


	76. Chapter 76 A Homecoming of Sorts

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Chapter Seventy – Six** _A Homecoming of Sorts _

The rising sun broke over the palace highlighting the banner, which still hung from the roof. Someone had climbed up during the night and changed the pictures of the group, and the writing to a gold tint, and the sun reflected off of it, shooting sparks of light into the courtyard.

Max leaned out over the railing surrounding the balcony and gazed down over the city as it came to life.

"It's quite a sight, isn't it," said a voice behind him. Max turned around and saw Zan standing in the doorway.

"Yeah, it's something," said Max. "Kind of awe inspiring actually. They're just going on like nothing happened. We fought a major battle yesterday, and today, it's business as usual."

"I know, it gives me faith in man's ability to adapt," said Zan. "I don't think I could be half as resilient as these people.

The two men stood side by side watching the city come to life, until the sound of a bell ringing reminded them of the summit meetings that they needed to attend. Standing up, they walked into the room to be greeted by a waiting messenger.

"Your Majesty," said the messenger, bowing his head. "I have a message for you."

"Yes," Max and Zan answered together. The messenger, totally confused wordlessly held out the paper.

Max reached out to take it and together the two men laughed as the messenger scurried away.

"I guess we need to make a decision," said Max, before he opened the message. "I'm open to suggestions, because quite frankly, I don't have a clue what to do."

"Me either," said Zan. "It was a hell of a lot simpler when the Granolith had only chosen you."

"Last night before they left, Kyle suggested we put Velcro on our backs and stick ourselves together and rule Antar as "Zax, the Two Faced King."

Zan exploded with laughter, the image of him and Max stuck together, sitting on a throne, amused him in a way very few things had done before.

When his laughter subsided, Max playfully cuffed him on the shoulder. "Got the visual, huh?" he asked.

"Oh yeah," said Zan, "And it was a doozy."

"Yeah, I know," said Max. "I laughed for about an hour last night. Liz was less than pleased. I think she's ready to kill Kyle."

"She's nice," said Zan, suddenly. "Liz I mean. Well, actually, all of you are really nice. I was prepared to hate all of you, you know? But I'm really glad I found all of you."

"Even Kyle?" Max asked, thinking back to the acrimonious feelings the two shared when they first met.

"Yeah, even Kyle. As long as he keeps treating Ava okay, that is," Zan replied. "It really tore me apart when I thought she took off with Rath and Lonnie. I was prepared to hate her as much as I was all of you, but it turns out I was wrong. She's got a family now, and that's all that matters."

"Zan, you're part of our family too," said Max. "You're a part of us. We're connected now. I mean, my parents are going to freak when the find out about you. Dad will probably insist on putting bunk beds in my room."

"Ah, you're married to Liz, remember?" Zan asked.

"Yeah, but they don't really know about that. Well, I mean they do now, since the Sheriff filled them in on everything, but I'm not sure how well they're dealing with that particular aspect of the situation," explained Max. "They've probably moved right into denial land next to Liz's parents. Hence, the bunk beds."

"I can't go back there with you, man," said Zan, his speech reverted back to the way he spoke in New York "That's you're life. There ain't no room for me in Roswell, New Mexico."

Max looked at Zan, unable to find the words to convince him that he was welcomed in his life. He knew his parents would adore having him around, and would happily shower him with all the love he lacked growing up.

"What's the note say?" Zan asked in an effort to change the conversation. He knew he had no place in Max's life, and it was tearing him apart to know that he'd have to say goodbye to them very soon and disappear from their lives.

Max unfolded the note and read it, and passed it to Zan. "It seems our royal parents request the pleasure of our company during breakfast," he said.

"Cool, I'm up for it," said Zan, brightening visibly. "That Drinian is pretty cool. I thought he was a cool shit when he was Che'koth, but as our old man, he's straight up."

Max followed Zan out the door and down the hall, only listening with half an ear to what Zan was saying. The beginnings of an idea had started in his mind, and he wanted to give it time to grow before he said anything to anybody.

Liz and the others had just sat down at the large table with Kitana and Drinian when Max and Zan entered the room. Max slid into place next to Liz, and nodded to his Antarian parents without saying a word. Zan made their apologies for late arrival, and sat down next to Drinian.

Talk resumed around the table, and Liz used the opportunity to whisper to Max.

"What's wrong?" she asked, keeping her voice low.

"Nothing, in fact, something may be very, very right," said Max, mysteriously. "I can't say anything right now, I need to think about it some more, but I think when I do tell you, you'll think it's great."

"Thanks for clearing that up for me," said Liz with a smile. "As long as you're okay, I'm good with whatever it is. Suddenly, she spun around; trying to locate the sound of cheering that suddenly filled the room.

"What's that?" she asked no one in particular.

"I think I might have an idea," said Drinian, "But I'll hold my tongue and see if I'm right."

Moments later, the door to the room burst open filling the room with the sound of cheering, and Kyle and Alex walked in, their arms filled with packages, smiling in delight.

"Hi Honeys, we're home," they chorused.

Isabel and Ava both laughed with delight and jumped up to greet them.

"How did you know?" Max asked Drinian, after he greeted his friends.

"Well, I took the liberty of arranging transport for the guards a little quicker than you had planned," explained Drinian. "I know Alex and Kyle are more than capable of taking care of things, but I also know the Gadori are very cunning, and the more people we have down there watching your families, the better."

"How are they, Alex?" asked Isabel. "Are our parents okay?" Realizing what she said, Isabel's hand crept up to cover her mouth. "I'm sorry," she said, looking at Drinian and Kitana. "I don't mean any disrespect to either of you, but," she paused, unsure of how to continue.

"Isabel, my daughter," said Kitana. "You have not been disrespectful to us. In fact, I would have been saddened had you not expressed concern for Philip and Diane Evans. They are your parents. They cared for you, and protected you when we could not, and we shall forever be in their debt. It is fortunate that we are capable of loving a great many people, and our heart expands to welcome them all."

"Thank you for understanding," said Isabel.

"You're parents are fine," said Alex. "They send their love. We brought back letters from all of them for you."

Zan watched the joyful reunion, an ache growing in his heart. _It would be so great to have somebody on Earth waiting for me to come home. The only person I ever had was Ava, and she doesn't need me anymore, she had Kyle now._

Zan pushed back from the table and tried to slip unnoticed out a side door, only to be stopped by Kyle's shout.

"Hey, Zan, where do you think you're going?" Kyle asked as Alex handed Maria and Liz their letters. "I have one here with your name on it."

"What?" asked Zan. "What are you talking about Valenti? I don't have anyone who gives a rat's ass about me left on Earth. Everyone that cares about me is right here."

"Don't be to sure about that," said Kyle, tossing him an envelope. "That's from Philip and Diane Evans. They can't wait to meet you. In fact, when we left, Max's dad was trying to decide if they could add on a bedroom, or you and Max would be happy with bunk beds."

"I told you," said Max with a grin. "Zan, you have to figure, anybody who would take in two kids they found wandering around naked in the desert _have_ to be pretty accepting of stuff."

Zan took the envelope from Kyle and stuffed it into his pocket. "Thanks, man. I'll read it later."

"No problem," said Kyle. "And hey, Zan," he said, lowering his voice. "Ava and I want you to know you have a place with us, and my Dad wants you to come stay with him, too. So don't be too sure that there aren't people who care about you, okay?"

"Hey, listen up, everyone," Alex said. "There is a crowd of people outside the palace waiting for you all to wave or something, and some guy downstairs asked me to tell you that all the cabinet members and stuff are here. The summit can start whenever you all are ready."


	77. Chapter 77 Summits, Meetings and Surpri...

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Chapter Seventy Seven** – _Summits, Meetings and Surprises, Oh My!_

The summit meeting with the cabinet members went better than anybody could have ever expected. Many of them knew of the plan to send cloned embryos away for safekeeping, but fewer of them were aware of how far the duplicity of Kivar actually went. To find out that the two sets of embryos were mixed together came as a shock to many of the cabinet members as did the news that the cloned embryos of their beloved king managed to beat the statistical odds and survive to maturity without any obvious defects or deviations.

This news caused a wave of discord and discontent among the cabinet members as they tried to decide who should rule over Antar. Max and Zan observed the proceedings, but both were reluctant to step forward and act as king.

"We have to do something," Max whispered to Zan.

"Hey, you're the king," said Zan. "You do it."

"You're forgetting something," said Max. "We're both the king and we can both rule Antar. For that matter, so could Liz, Isabel, Kyle, or any of the others."

"Do they know that, yet?" Zan asked, inclining his head towards the cabinet members.

"I'm not sure, why?" asked Max.

"Well, for once, _I_ have an idea. Just go along with me, okay?"

"Okay," Max said, warily. He could only hope Zan's idea didn't include abdicating the throne in favor of him. He hadn't yet had a chance to tell Zan and the others about his plan, and he couldn't do anything until they all agreed to go along with it. Especially Zan.

A loud piercing whistle filled the chamber, and Max turned to find Zan, standing on top of the table, fingers in his mouth, poised to whistle again.

A second blast of Zan's piercing whistle was unnecessary, as the cabinet members quieted down and looked questioningly at Zan.

"Listen up," he shouted, his voice carrying to every corner of the room. "You guys are all trying to decide which one of us is going to rule Antar, but none of you have bothered to ask if either of us _want_ to do it, or even if either of us is /ifit/i to rule."

A shock wave rippled through the crowd as they absorbed the meaning of Zan's words.

"What say you, Majesty, you do not wish to rule our world. Why then did you come back to fight for such a right?" questioned one of the cabinet members.

"We came back because no person should be forced to live under the rule of a tyrant such as Kivar!" shouted Max, joining Zan on top of the table. "As far as we're concerned, our job is done. We all have lives on Earth."

"How then, will we know who will rule us?" shouted another cabinet member.

"Why can't the Granolith chose?" asked Zan. "Doesn't Antarian history say that if there is no clear choice, then the Granolith will lead the people to their new king?"

"Kind of sword in the stone, isn't it?" Max whispered to Zan.

"Yeah, well, I guess every world had it's own Arthur type legend. I guess we're going to be Antar's, Zan whispered back."

"Tonight at sunset, we shall adjourn to the Granolith chamber, and see who the Granolith chooses," said Max.

The two men watched as the cabinet members filed out of the room, still discussing their choice of ruler amongst themselves. When the room was empty, save for Drinian and Kitana, they jumped down off of the table.

"Zan, I don't get it, other than buying us some time, what good was that?" asked Max. "The Granolith is going to chose both of us. It already has."

"No, it's going to chose all nine of us," said Zan, with a smile. "The others need to be in on this too. I want the people to see that they have a lot of options open to them at this point. It doesn't have to be a ruling king, just because that's the way it always has been."

He turned to look at Drinian and Kitana. "No offense, Father, Mother," he said. "I'm not saying having a king is wrong, but these cabinet dudes really need to chill. They were just freed from Kivar's rule, and they are ready to subject themselves to another ruler, regardless of who he is, and what he believes in." 

"No offense is taken, Son," said Drinian. "I believe you are thinking very clearly, and what you are saying makes sense. The old ways may be good, but there is nothing wrong with looking at things from a different perspective."

Exactly," said Zan. "And if I may impose on you and Mother, for a moment, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind going to get the others and asking them to meet us in the throne room just before sunset?"

"We would be delighted, Zan," said Drinian, taking Kitana's arm. "It will be a great pleasure to walk freely around the palace again with my beloved wife."

Max watched in silence until his Antarian parents left the room before turning to Zan.

"We have to talk," he said to his brother. "It's my turn to have an idea, and I want to know what you think."

"Shoot," said Zan, leaning back in one of the chairs that had been pushed away from the table. He leaned back in the chair and propped his feet up on the table. "What's on you're mind, bro?"

"You realize of course, that hundreds of long dead Antarian legislatures are turning over in their graves at the way we've treated this table," said Max, sitting on the table, looking at Zan. "Anyhow, it's about this king thing. I don't want it, I don't want to be a king, I'm not a king. Hell, I can barely take care of myself, never mind a planet."

"Yeah, well, I don't wanna do it either," said Zan, but his tone lacked the conviction that Max's had. "I'd make a crappy king."

"No, you wouldn't, and actually, when it comes right down to it, neither would I. The only difference is, _you_ want it, and I don't."

"What about the others, what if one of them wants to stay?" asked Zan. "Or even Liz, what if Liz wants you to stay and rule?"

"I can pretty much guarantee you that Liz does not want to stay," said Max. "And I'm pretty positive Isabel won't either. That whole clone thing freaked her out more than she'll ever admit, but I'm betting she can't wait to get home and see Mom and Dad. I can't speak for Kyle and Ava, or Michael and Maria, all we can do is ask them. But Zan, if you _don't_ want to do it, then don't do it," Max added, looking incredibly serious. "Don't stay here out of some mistaken sense of obligation to a world you know nothing about. You can always come home with us. You heard Kyle. Dad's ready to build you your own room."

The two men laughed and continued to discuss the pros and cons of their plan until the shadows began to lengthen and the day began to draw to a close.

"Hey, your Majesties," a voice called from the darkened doorway. "If you're gonna go all king like and summon us, don't you think you ought to be there when we do show up?"

"Shit," said Zan. "Sorry Alex, we got to talking and kind of lost track of time."

"I guess," said Alex, entering the room. "You missed lunch and everything. Too bad, it was that pladyia crap you ate so much of at the Training Academy."

"Damn," said Zan, regretfully. "I really like that stuff."

"Zan, hesitating to point out the obvious, but as a king, you can kind of ask for it any time you want," Max said.

"True," said Zan, brightening, visibly.

"Come on, we'd better get to the throne room before the rest of them come looking for us," said Max.

"No chance of that," said Alex. "They're all having fun watching Kyle have fun pretending to be king. Good thing he doesn't really want to stay and rule, or the entire planet would have to convert to Buddhism."

"So, uh, Kyle doesn't want to stay, and really be king then?" Zan asked, as casually as he could manage.

"Are you kidding?" asked Alex. "He is so ready to go home and get some Saturn Rings at the CrashDown, that it isn't even funny."

"Oh," was the only thing that Zan said. He looked over at Max to see an almost smug smile of satisfaction on his face.

"Nobody likes a know it all, Max," he whispered.

"Wanna clue me in, guys?" Alex said.

"No," they replied in unison, stopping before the throne room door.

"Nice to see you're developing a freaky twin thing," said Alex. "Can you do it in front of Maria, it would totally freak her out."

"Some best friend you are, Alex," laughed Max. "We'll see what we can do, okay?"

"Good enough," said Alex. "Now, can we please get this self imposed summit of yours over with? I want to spend some time with my wife, you know."

"That's my sister you're talking about," said Max and Zan, again simultaneously.

"Beam me up, Scotty," said Alex, rolling his eyes and pushing open the door. "Hey everybody, looks like our illustrious kings forgot all about their meeting."

"Sorry," said Max, rather unapologetically. "We were talking. Anyhow, I suppose you're wondering why we brought you all here tonight," he joked.

"Actually, I took the liberty of forcing your father to tell us, Max," said Maria, cheerfully. "And we're all on board with whatever we have to do to help with the king thing."

"Actually there's a bit more to it than that," said Max. "I need to know where all of you stand about ruling Antar. Is anybody up for the job, or are you ready to head back home?"

"Max, I know I've said I'll follow you anywhere," said Liz. "But I don't think I want to live here forever as a queen or whatever."

"Mother, Father, I am so happy to find out that you're alive, and I never want to not have you in my life," said Isabel. "But I don't belong here. Maybe Vilondra did, but Isabel Whitman belongs on Earth with her husband."

"We understand, daughter," said Kitana. "We shall never truly be separated again, as long as there is love in our hearts."

"Ava and I have already talked about it," said Kyle. "It's totally her call. She knows that she is my life, and I'll do whatever it is she needs me to do."

Ava smiled at Kyle and reached out and slipped her small hand into his. "I agree with what Isabel said. Antar is a wonderful place, but it isn't our home. Our home is on Earth."

"Michael, what about you?" asked Max. "Do you think you'd want to stay and rule."

"Hell no," said Michael. "I'm not a ruler, I'm the General, remember. I was second in command for a reason. I don't have the temperament to be a king. Besides, Maria has a real shot at a singing career back home. I'm going to do whatever I can to help her achieve it."

"Now do you believe me?" Max asked, turning to Zan. He looked at the man he now called brother the man he once considered killing, then turned back to look at the others. "Zan wants to stay and rule. Anybody have a problem with that?"

Shouts and cheers of celebration filled the room as one by one, each of the group went up to congratulate Zan on his decision and to offer their support. Kitana had just hugged him, hugging him as only a mother can, when the door to the throne room opened again. A lone figure walked in and moved towards the small group.

"Plash Nevenia," said Liz, moving towards the woman who had been both teacher and confidant to her. "I'm happy to know you survived the battle, and I am sorry I did not try and contact you. You have been nothing but kind and generous to me, and it was wrong of me not to seek you out to reassure myself that you hadn't been hurt."

"I am fine, Lan, or should I say Liz," said Plash, smiling at her. "And I know you have been busy. It would have been easy for me to join you at the palace, especially since I can now reveal my true self."

As she spoke, the woman's features began to morph and change, as did her hair, changing from the short dark style she normally wore to a mop of blond curls.

"Dijanya," whispered Drinian. "You are alive."

He moved towards the woman, his face a mask of joy, only to be halted by a small gasp from Ava.

"Mother," she whispered, as she slumped to the floor in a dead faint.


	78. Chapter 78 Family Reunion

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Chapter Seventy – Eight** – _Family Reunion_

"Dijanya," Kitana whispered, holding her hand up to her mouth. "My friend, you survived. I am so happy."

Michael knelt on the ground helping Kyle support Ava. He looked up at the woman in front of him and stared.

"Is it true?" he asked, his voice catching. "Never mind," he said. "I know it is. You look just like Ava." His face darkened, and he turned back to Kyle. "Is she okay?" he asked, lowering his voice.

"Yeah, I think so," Kyle whispered back. "I think it was just he shock. Ava, Ava, sweetie, wake up," he said, turning his attention back to his wife. "Come on Ava, wake up."

"Kyle?" Ava whispered. "I thought I saw,"

"You did," Michael interrupted. "Come on. We have to get to the Granolith." He and Kyle helped Ava to her feet, and Michael made sure she was steady before he moved over to where Maria stood open mouthed. He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the room without another word.

"Well, that went well," said Alex.

"Watch it, Whitman," said Kyle, slipping his arm around Ava's waist more securely. "I'm supposed to be the comic relief here, not you. Come on, Ava, let's go make sure Michael's all right."

"Michael's right," said Max, addressing the rest of the room. We do need to get up there. We can straighten out the rest of this, later on. I'm sorry this is happening now," he added, looking at the woman who claimed to be not only his aunt, but also the mother of his best friend. "We have another situation to deal with, and then we'll get this straightened out, I promise. Mother, Father, are you coming with us."

"Yes, Son," said Drinian. "We will be along in a moment. You go on ahead."

Max motioned to the others, and they walked out the door, following the path that Michael and the others took. Within minutes, they walked into the room that housed the base of the Granolith. The top of the Granolith exited out through an opening to tower above the palace.

"Majesty," said one of the members of the royal senate. "We began to fear that you would not join us."

"We said we'd be here, and we're here, Nendron," Max said in a cold hard voice. "Now, it seems to me that you are concerned about who is to rule Antar. We have something to show you."

"Wait," said a voice from the back of the room. "I want everyone to know I stand before any ruler that the Granolith chooses. I was foolish enough to turn my back on the power of the Granolith when I was young and foolish. It is a mistake I will never make again."

The crowd gasped as Drinian pushed forward through the crowd, flanked by Kitana and Dijanya. He turned and surveyed the people crowding into the chamber.

"The Granolith will tell you the true ruler, and I want your solemn word that you will abide by its choice."

"King Drinian!" shouted a man in the crowd. "It's King Drinian and Queen Kitana, and Lady Dijanya. King Drinian has come back to rule over Antar again!"

"No I have not!" thundered Drinian. "Do you hear nothing, have you _learned_ nothing from all of this? I willingly handed over the throne to my son, and now, to appease you, we will allow the Granolith to show you the true ruler. Max, Zan, whenever you are ready, you may begin."

Max and the others took their positions surrounding the Granolith in the four square position, with Zan joining Max and Liz in their corner of the square. Almost at once, the Granolith began to pulse with light. It shot up from the base of the Granolith, shooting out of the top and coming down in columns of light, enveloping each person that stood in the corner.

As quickly as it had begun, the lights faded back into the Granolith and slowly down into its base. As one, Max and Zan stepped forward and faced the crowd.

"The Granolith has spoken," they said. "And it has made its choice. We are all chosen as fit to rule Antar."

"How can this be?" Nendron shouted. "How can the Granolith choose nine people to rule our world?"

"It doesn't matter," said Zan, speaking forcefully. "You agreed to abide by the decision of the Granolith, and the Granolith has shown that any one of us is fit to rule Antar. Now, if you will excuse us, ladies and gentlemen, we are going to visit with our families."

Zan swept past the watching crowds, his expression almost haughty as he looked down his nose at them, almost daring any one of them to say anything. He winked at Max, who stepped out of the four square, along with Liz, and walked beside him out of the Granolith chamber.

The others fell in behind them, walking out in pairs, looking neither right, nor left. They simply took their cue from Zan, and walked from the room as if they owned it.

Once the door to the Granolith chamber closed behind them, Maria, then Ava exploded into laughter. It didn't take long for the others to follow suit, and the nine friends stood in the hallway, holding on to each other for support as they laughed as if they'd never laughed before, or would again.

"Oh, my God," snorted Ava, indelicately. "Did you see the looks on their faces when the Granolith did its laser light show?"

"That was great," said Maria. "But not half as funny as Zan's lord of the manor impression. I was just waiting for him to use the royal 'We.' I swear if he had done that, I would have lost it."

"It was a bit extreme," said Max. "But you pulled it off. Why didn't you tell them that you were going to stay and rule though? We all agreed that if you wanted it, the job was yours. Does this mean you're coming back with us, instead?" he added, hopefully.

"I don't know," Zan admitted. "After the news Michael and Ava got, I thought maybe they'd want to reconsider their decisions to stay. I mean since they have family here and all."

"I'm not staying," said Michael, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Maria is my family, and you guys are my family. I'm going back to Earth. Zan, I'll miss you, man, but this place isn't my home, and those people aren't my family."

He turned his back on the group and stared out the window at the two moons that were rising up over the horizon. Maria moved to stand next to him, and Michael slipped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her in close to him. No words were spoken, but the others could feel the healing love that flowed between Maria and Michael.

"Well," hedged Ava. "I don't know. Actually, I do know. I'm not a ruler. Maybe I'd consider staying here and visiting for a while, but I agree with Michael, this isn't our home anymore, and I'm ready to go home for a while. The job is all yours, Zan. Have it with our blessings."

She moved forward and hugged her friend tightly. "You're gonna be a great king, Zan. You always were a leader."


	79. Chapter 79 Intervention

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Chapter Seventy – Nine** – _Intervention _

Michael walked through the echoing halls of the palace, ignoring the beautiful artwork that would have, at one time, fascinated him. Instead, he looked blankly ahead, his mind focused completely on the events of the past couple of days.

He continued his journey down the hall, unaware of the footsteps that dogged his every move. He was unaware that is, until two sets of hands reached out and grabbed him and pulled him into an empty room.

"What the _hell_ is you're problem, Guerin?" shouted Alex. "You have personally turned one of my best friends into an emotional wreck."

"Not to mention the pain you are causing _my_ wife you egomaniacal, insufferable bastard!" shouted Kyle, pushing Michael against a wall. "I do not give a rats ass about the emotional pain I'm feeling pouring off of you right now. The only thing I care about is the fact that my wife is in our room, crying her eyes out, afraid to get to know her mother, because she is worried that it will upset you even more!"

"Not to mention _your_ wife. Maria!" shouted Alex. "Yeah, remember her? She's having a total freak fest over the way you're acting. Jesus, Guerin, you've been moaning about your lack of family since you met Maria, and now, when you get a Mother handed to you on a silver platter, you turn your back on her. She's worried that all that crap you gave her about her being your family is just that, a load of crap. You better do something about it, and fast, because Liz and Isabel are totally freaked, trying to keep her and Ava calm!"

"What the hell do you know about any of it!" shouted Michael. "Both of you have had perfect lives. You have no idea of what I went through!"

"Right, because having your mother walk out on you when you're just a kid is perfect," said Kyle in a sarcastic voice. "Oh boo hoo, poor Michael Guerin grew up in foster homes. His life is so tragic, let's have pity party for him."

"Let me go, Kyle, or I will kill you," said Michael, his voice deceptively calm.

"Go ahead, do it," said Kyle, purposely goading Michael. "At least if I'm dead, I'll be spared the pain of watching you wallow in self pity."

Behind Michael, an ornate vase exploded, sending shards of crystal flying across the room.

"What's the matter?" asked Alex, "Is the mighty general losing his cool? Making things go boom. Poor Michael. He can't handle the pressure, can he?"

There was a loud bang as a chair flew across the room and crashed into a wall. The impact was so hard that the chair bounced off the wall and slid several feet back into the center of the room.

"Shut up," Michael ground out between clenched teeth, "Or that's going to be you."

"What?" laughed Alex. "You don't think we're afraid of _you_, the emotional cripple? Right, because you're so freaking scary. You forget, we can block anything you can throw at us."

"Oh yeah!" shouted Michael, pushing Kyle away and throwing up his arm. "Let's see you block this!"

He fired a bolt of energy at Alex, but it bounced harmlessly off of the shield that Alex had thrown around him.

"That the best you can do?" asked Kyle, purposely taunting him. "Come on, let me have it."

Michael spun around to face Kyle who had moved across the room when his attention was focused on Alex and fired an energy bolt at him. Again, it bounced harmlessly off of the shield that Kyle created with his powers.

"Look Buddha boy, I don't know what the hell your problem is, or yours either Alex, but I want the two of you to leave me the fuck alone," said Michael, clearly enunciating each word so that there would be no doubt that Kyle and Alex understood his meaning. "I want to be alone. Don't you get it?"

"No, it's you that doesn't get it, Michael," said Alex, moving closer to his friend. "You're doing it again, your shutting everybody out, including the three people who love you more than anything else."

"He's right, Michael," said Kyle, his voice calm now. "Maria's falling apart, and so is Ava, and your mother doesn't know what to do. She's planning on leaving the palace so that you won't have to see her again."

"What!" yelled Michael. "The hell she is. There is no way I'm letting her abandon Ava and I again!"

He pushed past Kyle and Alex and stormed out the door and down the hall.

"Wow," said Alex. "That was close. I didn't think it was going to work."

"Of course it was going to work," said Kyle, smiling smugly. "I'm surprised even you couldn't feel the suppressed emotions pouring off of him. He was just waiting to explode."

"So of course, you decided that the best thing to do was get him mad at us and explode and possibly kill us?" asked Alex.

"Well, yeah," said Kyle as the two walked to the door. "I mean, after all, we are perfectly capable of protect…uhhhh!" he said as a fist connected with his chin as he and Alex walked out the door.

"What the?" shouted Alex, only to be punched in the nose by the same fist.

Michael looked down at his two friends, now lying unconscious on the floor.

"Jerks," he said. "I knew what you were doing all along." He turned and jogged down the hall, searching his memory for the location of the rooms his family used when they stayed at the palace.

Michael found the rooms, and pushed the door open without knocking. His mother sat on a chair staring blankly into the empty room.

"So, I hear you're leaving," he said.

"It seems to be the best thing to do," said Dijanya, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "My being here is doing nothing but causing you pain. I don't want that, so it's best that I leave."

"What about Ava?" demanded Michael. "Have you thought about how your leaving will effect her?"

"It might,' said Dijanya, but not as much as the pain you're feeling does.

"You are incredibly selfish," said Michael heatedly. "But then again, so am I," he added, the fight leaving his voice. "Why?" he asked. He moved closer to where his mother sat. "Why didn't you let anyone know you were alive. If you had told Che'koth, I mean Drinian, he could have let us know. Didn't you think we deserved to know?" he asked plaintively, his tone of voice sounding more like a wounded child than that of a mighty warrior.

"Maybe I should have," admitted Dijanya. "But I feared for your lives, as well as my own. Nobody thought I was alive, and I was afraid to confide in anybody. I wasn't certain who I could trust. I didn't even realize that Drinian was Che'koth. You don't understand, my son, what it was like, having to hide who I was for so long."

"You're kidding, right?" Michael asked, incredulously. _I_ have no idea what it's like to hide who you really are? You have _got_ to be kidding me. I spent most of my life hiding who I was, so _yeah,_ I think I have a clue as to how hard you had it."

"You're right," said Dijanya. "I have never been very trusting. I've always held a part of myself back from people. It's funny, you look so much like your father, but you are so similar to me inside. I have no excuse, I can only ask you to forgive me, my son."

Michael knelt down on the floor next to his mother and looked into he face that was so similar to Ava's. He looked into her eyes and saw the pain that she felt. The same pain he saw when he looked at himself in the mirror.

"Maybe we'd better talk," he said.


	80. Chapter 80 Coronation

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Chapter Eighty** – _Coronation_

The throne room was resplendent with thousands of lights. Dignitaries, as well as ordinary citizens streamed into the palace to find out who would rule their world. Liz looked out a window, watching the people of Antar make their way into the palace, dressed in their finest clothes.

"Wow seems kind of an inadequate response for everything that's going on," she said, turning from the window. "But all I can come up with is wow."

"It is kind of lacking in the description department," said Isabel, but I get what you mean.

"And speaking of wow, look at you," Liz continued. "You look fantastic."

Isabel smoothed her hands down over the vibrant blue gown. The bodice fitted like a second skin, and the skirt flared out over her hips, coming down to just below her knees in front, and skimming the floor in back. She fiddled with the neckline, trying to tug it up slightly.

"You don't think it's too low cut?" she asked, nervously.

"No, not at all," said Liz. "It suits you perfectly Isabel," she added honestly. There had been a time in her life when she had been jealous of the statuesque blonde's beauty, but not any more. She was secure in the knowledge that Max loved her exactly the way she was.

"You look beautiful, Liz," Isabel said, sincerely. "I'm glad you decided to go with that deep green. It suits you perfectly."

"Thanks," said Liz. "I sure could have used this for Prom."

"I don't know," said Isabel, fastening a dramatic green train to the back of the dress. "I think you would have had a hard time dancing with this." She gathered up the train in her arm, and helped Liz arrange it so that it trailed behind her.

"How about Maria and Ava, are they ready yet?" Liz asked, fiddling nervously with the straps of her dress.

"Right here, Chica," said Maria, walking regally into the room, with Ava at her side. "Be prepared to be totally, and completely out classed."

"You guys look beautiful," said Liz. "I can't believe how great you look."

"Because obviously, we look like garbage most of the time," joked Ava, trying to hide the pain she was feeling.

"No word from Michael, yet?" Liz asked, hugging Ava first, then Maria.

"No," Ava answered. "And Kyle and Alex are missing, too."

"What?" cried Isabel. "What do you mean, missing? Missing how?"

"Relax, Isabel," said Maria, for once being the voice of calm and reason. "They went after Michael to try and knock, I mean talk some sense into him."

"That's really reassuring," said Isabel. "If he stands me up for this, he is such a dead man."

"Um, Isabel, maybe you should be focusing on the obvious conflict Michael is feeling right now, and not the fact that Alex may stand you up," said Liz.

"I can't," said Isabel. "If I start to think about that, I'll totally fall apart. Michael is my oldest, best friend, and it's killing me to see him this way. The whole standing me up thing is just a coping mechanism. But never mind that, Maria, Ava, both of you are gorgeous. I love that deep red on you Ava, and Maria; black was the way to go."

"Thanks, Isabel," Ava said gratefully, but Maria just scowled.

"I look too washed out in black," she said. "I shouldn't have gone with black."

"Maria, you look beautiful in black," said Liz. "Now I want you to relax and sniff some cedar oil or something."

Maria reached into her bag and pulled out a vial of cedar oil and sniffed deeply.

"That's better," she said. "Thanks Liz, you're the best."

"Come on, they have to be around here somewhere," Max said to Zan as the two traversed the dimly lit hall.

"How can three people disappear like that?" asked Zan. "Michael I get, I know he's trying to deal with a lot. But what's up with Kyle and Alex. Where the hell did they go?"

"Knowing them, they're trying to save Michael from himself, and knowing Michael, it probably means that at least one of them got blown up," said Max.

"Well, not blown up," said Zan, pointing at two bodies lying on the floor. "But maybe knocked unconscious."

"Look at them," said Max, turning Alex over. "His nose is broken."

"Yeah, and Kyle's jaw isn't looking to great, either. Let's heal them and get them cleaned up before Isabel and Ava realize that they're missing."

Max knelt down next to Alex, and Zan next to Kyle, and the two used their powers to heal their friends. A soft glow filled the hallway, and slowly receded, and Kyle and Alex sat up, groaning.

"What the hell hit me?" asked Alex.

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say Michael," said Zan. "What the hell were you two thinking?"

"We were thinking that if we didn't get Michael to do something, he was going to implode," said Kyle. "So we had an intervention."

"You two," said Max, struggling not to laugh. "Had an intervention with Michael? And just how did that go?"

"Well, I hope your parents weren't too fond of the vase and chair that used to be in that room," said Kyle.

"Not to mention the wall," added Alex.

"I'm going to come down on the side of not going well," said Zan. "Actually, I'm going to go out on a limb and say it pretty much sucked."

"Actually, I think it went pretty well," said Kyle. "Except for the part where we got punched in the face. Michael really let lose with a lot of aggression."

"Yeah, so where is he now?" asked Max looking at the remains of the vase Michael had destroyed.

"Hello, unconscious, remember? How would we know?" said Kyle. "Maybe we should go find him?"

"Maybe we should go and get you ready for the ceremony tonight, instead," said Zan. "We're late already."

"Oh shit," said Kyle. "Ava's going to kill me."

"Don't worry, Isabel's going to kill me too," said Alex.

"How about the two of you stop whining about who is going to kill whom, and go get changed," suggested Max in his most reasonable voice.

"Good point," said Alex.

The musicians began to play the haunting melody Maria had once strummed on Alex's guitar after they first activated the Granolith, but this time, the melody filled Isabel's heart with joy and happiness, instead of the intense feelings of sadness she felt before.

The doors to the throne room opened, signaling the start of the procession when Max, Zan, Kyle and Alex rushed in.

"Sorry we're late," said Max as he and Zan stepped into position beside Liz. "We had to pick up a few things."

"Let me guess," said Liz, looking back to see Kyle and Alex, still adjusting their clothing. "You were picking up a couple of members of the royal procession?"

"Yeah, something like that," Zan whispered as they began to move forward. "Although we couldn't find one of them."

His words caused Liz to stop, and turn around to see Maria, standing in the processional line, alone, her lips trembling in an effort to repress the tears that threatened to well up in her eyes.

"That stupid bastard," Zan whispered. "I'll kill him for doing this to her."

"You don't have to," Liz said, her voice, and her expression grim. "/iI'm/i going to do it first."

"I'll go walk with her," said Zan. "She shouldn't have to do this alone."

"She doesn't have to do it alone," said Michael, running into the waiting room. "I'm here."

"I hate you, Michael Guerin," said Maria. "More than you'll ever know."

"And I deserve it," said Michael, stepping into line, next to her. "But will you forgive me if I tell you I've made my peace with my mother?"

"No," said Maria, "But I won't kill you."

Neither one said another word because Zan, Max and Liz began to walk slowly into the throne room filled with members of the cabinet, the senate, as well as representatives from the other worlds that Antar allied themselves with. The other couples followed slowly, until they all stood in the center of the throne room, in the four square position, with Drinian, Kitana and Dijanya in the center. Drinian turned slowly, looking at each member of the four square before he spoke.

"All of you, have been judged as fit to rule," he said. "There is no doubt, and no argument in my mind. If anyone present has doubts about the abilities of these people to rule Antar, state them now."

He looked around the room and noted several faces that looked extremely unhappy at this turn of events, but none who dared to speak.

"The nine of you have met and decided that while all of you are worthy, and fit to rule, it is a job for only one person. You have chosen Zan to rule Antar. Long live King Zan," said Drinian, stepping forward to place a circlet of gold on Zan's head.

Chants of long live King Zan filled the room for several minutes before Zan quieted the crowd and began to speak.

"Antarians, I am honored that my friends and family have chosen me to remain and rule Antar, and while it is true, that I shall remain here, it is not quite true that I rule alone. I will rule, along with trusted cabinet members, members of the senate, and the advice of my friends and family that have entrusted me with this position. And so I say, not long live King Zan, but long live the Royal House of Antar!"

"Long live the Royal House of Antar!" roared the crowd.


	81. Chapter 81 The Return Home

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Author's Note:** Well this is it, the end is in sight. Actually, excpet for the epilogue, this is the end. Thanks to everyone who left the really great feedback, you guys really rock, and thanks to everyone who urged me to write a sequel to Love Changes Everthing. Without you, Tomorrows yet to come never would have happened.

**Chapter Eighty – One** _The Return Home_

"So, I guess this is it," Zan said when the night of celebration had ended. "You're all going to head home now?" He turned and looked out the window, so that Max wouldn't see the sadness in his eyes.

"I think so," said Max. "It's time. I mean, hell, Liz and I just left school without a word to anybody. Well, almost anybody," he amended thinking of Bill, Steve, Chuck and Justin. "We kinda just dumped some money in our friends laps and asked them to ship all of our stuff home. Liz sort of told them what was going on, but I think we owe them a real explanation. And we have someone we need to say goodbye to," he added sadly, thinking of Fred.

"What about Michael and Maria, are they okay?" Zan asked. "I was afraid to ask earlier. I mean, Maria still looked pretty pissed."

"Yeah, they're going to be okay. Michael won't tell any of us, including Maria, what happened with his mother, but he seems a lot happier now. Kind of at peace if you know what I mean," said Max.

"Yeah, I think I do," said Zan, reflectively, thinking about the bond that was developing between him and his parents. "You watch out for Ava for me, will ya?"

"Of course I will," said Max, but with Michael and Kyle, do you really think you need to worry?"

"I suppose not, but the Gadori are still a threat, and you have to watch out for them," said Zan.

"So do you," said Max. "So do you."

"I suppose we ought to go hook up with the others and do the big goodbye thing," said Zan, his tone implying he'd rather do anything but that.

"I don't think we have to bother," said Max when the door opened. "Here they come."

"We got sick of waiting for you guys," said Liz, joining Max and Zan by the window. "Is everything okay?"

"We're good," said Zan, hugging Liz. "How is Maria, is she okay?"

"Actually, she is," said Liz, grinning. "Apparently, her new mother-in-law doesn't believe in keeping secrets, and she filled Maria in on some of what went on between her and Michael. But, don't tell Michael," she cautioned. "He just thinks Maria is being compassionate and understanding."

The three of them burst into laughter, causing everyone else in the room to look over at them.

"So, what's the joke?" asked Michael.

"No joke," said Zan. "We're just saying our goodbyes."

"You're taking it better than I am," said Isabel, standing next to her mother. "I don't want to go, but I know I can't stay."

"It is time for you to return to your home, Isabel," Kitana said. "But we will never be separated again, because you will always be in my heart."

"And you in mine, Mother," said Isabel. "But it isn't the same."

"Perhaps this will help to ease the pain of your departure," said Drinian, reaching into a bag that sat beside him on the floor. He pulled out eight of the belts that Alex had copied from the Aberjani.

"With these, you will be able to travel back and forth to Antar. That way, we will never be truly separated again."

"And," added Zan. "We have people working on a way for us to communicate with each other, kind of like the telephone or something. I'm not too up with the science guys, but they sound like they know what they're talking about."

"I too am finding it hard to say goodbye," said Dijanya. "But I know that you need to go back to the lives that you have on Earth. Just promise me, my children that you won't stay away forever."

"Never," said Ava, hugging her mother. "Kyle's dad is totally great, but I love knowing that I have a Mother that cares about me."

"I agree," said Michael, blushing at the pronouncement. "Maria's mother has always been great to me. So have Max and Isabel's parents, and Kyle's Dad. But it's kind of cool knowing that I have someone out there who is mine."

Dijanya held out an arm to Michael who stepped willingly into his mother's embrace for the first time. Everyone watching could see the tension leave his body as his mother hugged him.

"The only thing that really stinks about this whole thing, is leaving Zan here by himself," said Maria. "Not that he'll be alone, I mean. I know he has all of you guys," she pointed to the adults. "But it's not the same. I mean, I have Michael, and Max and Liz are together and Kyle and Ava and Alex and Isabel. Zan deserves to find someone too."

"There are girls on Antar Maria," said Zan. "Not that it's going to be easy for any girl that thinks she's going to be a part of my life. She's got a lot to live up to," he added.

"Like what?" asked Max curiously. It sounded to him as if Zan had left someone behind on Earth; someone pretty special.

"Well, she's going to have to be as smart as Liz, as beautiful as Isabel, be as loyal as Ava, and have Maria's sense of humor and spaghetti making skills," said Zan. "I don't know if I'll ever find anyone who can fill your shoes."

"Oh Zan," the girls cried, and ran to hug him.

"Nice," Alex whispered to the others. "He gets to stay here after making that nice little speech, and we have to go back and live with them. There is no way we're ever going to top that."

"I heard that Alex," said Isabel.

"It is time," interjected Drinian. "I left word with Jim Valenti. He is going to have all of your parents waiting at the CrashDown. That is where the belts have been programmed to take you. I suggest we not waste time on long goodbyes, for we shall see each other again."

Despite Drinian's request, the goodbyes were long and drawn out, but finally the time had come for them to leave Antar. They strapped on their belts, and at Max's signal activated them, and in a flash of light, disappeared, leaving Zan to rule Antar, his final warning about the Gadori, ringing in their ears.


	82. Chapter 82 Epilogue

**Disclaimer:** Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

**Author's Note:** Wow, it's finally over. And like with the end of every story, there is that strange mixture of joy and sorrow. I hadn't planned on writing this story, it was only written as a gift to thank all the people who enjoyed it's prequel, and to fill in the time before Season 2 came out on DVD. Well, the DVD's have been out for a month, and I'm just finishing now. You can pretty much bet I'll be having a Roswell Marathon this weekend. Thanks again to everyone for the fantastic feedback, and the support I needed when I didn't think I'd ever get it finished. Several people have asked if there is going to be a third installment to this series, and the answer is a tentative yes. A wonderful friend read one part of this story and said "oh, what if…."; and the seeds of an idea were planted. I can only hope that with careful nurturing, they grow and blossom into another story. Thanks again for the wonderful feedback! Majik.

_Epilogue_

A burst of light filled the CrashDown, accompanied by the shocked screams of the people in the café. Liz looked around, disoriented by the voyage, and realized she was lying on the floor. She felt hands pulling her up, and she fell into the welcoming arms of her parents.

"Lizzie," her dad cried, tears streaming down his face. "Lizzie, why didn't you ever tell us."

"Jeff, not now," said Nancy. "Give her a chance to, oh, I don't know," she cried in frustration, "Just give her a chance."

Liz clung to her parents, and surveyed the scene in the CrashDown at the same time. The same scene played out in various parts of the café. She smiled a little as she watched Maria's mother alternately ranting and raving, and hugging Maria and Michael tightly. Max's parents openly wept and hugged their children. Liz laughed a little, watching Alex's parents. Neither had ever been very comfortable showing their feelings, but they seemed to have gotten over that as they hugged their only son.

The only parent who reacted calmly was Jim Valenti, but that was because he had several years to adjust to the whole situation, but even he kept hugging Kyle and Ava.

"Mom, Dad, I'm sorry I couldn't tell you," Liz whispered. "But I, I just couldn't"

"I'd like to say you can always tell us anything, Lizzie," her dad said, stroking her hair. "But I think I understand why you couldn't. I'm not saying we liked it very much, but we do understand."

"Thank you," Liz whispered.

"Baby, you've been through so much," her mother said, squeezing her hand. "And you had to deal with it alone."

"No mom, I was never alone," said Liz, looking at Max. "I was never alone."

"Yes, about that," said Jeff. "We need to talk about that."

Max saw Liz looking at him, and excused himself from his parents.

"I need to go do something," he said to them. "I'll be right back."

He crossed the room, went to stand beside Liz, reached down, and took her hand in his.

"Mr. and Mrs. Parker," he said. "I just want you to know, I love your daughter very much, and there isn't anything I would do for her."

"We have an awful lot to talk about, young man," said Jeff Parker, looking very solemn. "But the first thing I need to say to you is thank you. Thank you for saving our daughter's life." He stuck out his hand but when Max put his hand in his, Jeff pulled him into a hug.

"I guess we're family now," said Philip Evans who had come to stand beside his son.

"As our we," said Alex's parents joining the group.

"You're just learning something we've known for a very long time. We're all family," said Max. "It doesn't matter who is related to who, or how. We're a family, and we always will be."

"Max is right," said Liz. "We learned a long time ago that we're stronger together than apart. We have a bond, and nothing, and nobody can break that bond."

"We don't want to, kids," said Diane Evans. "But maybe it's time to open up your selective little group and let in a few more members. If you're stronger together than apart, then you'll be even stronger with us by your side. The strength you're talking about comes from love, and remember, nobody loves you more than we do."

"I guess none of us expected you to be so understanding," said Isabel.

"Don't get us wrong," said Philip, sounding so much like the lawyer that he was, instead of a father. "We're not at all crazy about the fact that you went off and got married, but we understand why. The other thing is, you were under age when you went on your little jaunt to Vegas, and you lied on your licenses, so they're really not legal."

"Legal or not, we're married," said Michael. "And there isn't anything you can do about it."

"Well actually, there are a lot of things we _could_ do about it, Michael, but we're not going to, so I suggest you shut up and just listen," said the Sheriff.

"What we're suggesting is you get married again, that way there isn't any question of legalities," said Amy. "And then we're going to throw you one heck of a party."

"Wait," said Diane Evans, suddenly. "Where is he, where is Zan? We so wanted him to come home with you. Is he staying somewhere else?"

"Zan wanted me to thank you for your wonderful and generous offer. I don't think you'll ever know how much it meant to him," said Max. "But one of us had to stay on Antar, and he really wanted to do it. Our, our," he stopped, unsure of how to continue.

"Our Antarian parents are alive, Mom and Dad," said Isabel, taking over for Max. "And Zan, well, Zan never had parents like we did, and he really needed to stay and be with them."

"You're parents?" whispered Diane Evans. "They're alive."

"They are," said Isabel, "And Mom, they're great, and I hope someday you get the chance to meet them, because I know they want to thank you for loving us so much. Kitana said that had she chosen herself, she couldn't have found anybody to do a better job watching over us than you and Dad did."

A knock at the door of the café caught everyone's attention, and Jeff walked over to the door and called through the glass, "We're closed for a private party."

He looked closer and drew in a resigned voice. "Oh, it's you," he said. "Max, Lizzie, there are four guys out here that say they know you from college. They show up at least once a week, looking for you."

Max and Liz walked cautiously towards the door. "You don't suppose," said Max.

"I don't know, but if it's not them, it's the Gadori," said Liz. "But we'd better check it out."

She pushed back the shade that covered the door and screamed. Within seconds, she had the door open and was screaming and laughing.

"Oh my God, guys, what are you doing here?" she shouted.

"Liz, you can't be sure it's them," cautioned Max.

"Yeah, I can," said Liz. "One thing I remembered about Nescado was his total lack of a sense of humor. And if there is one thing these guys have, it's a sense of humor."

She stepped out of the way to reveal four college students wearing togas over their clothes, and alien masks.

"Okay, I'll concede the point," said Max. "Hey guys, come on in, I'd like to introduce you to well, everybody. Everybody this is Bill, Steve, Chuck, and Dustin. They were the ones who packed up our stuff and sent it back from school."

"What stuff?" asked Nancy. "We didn't receive anything."

"Yeah, Max, about that," said Chuck. "We decided that since most of your classes were lectures, and they don't take attendance in them, you didn't really need to leave school."

"Yeah, and thanks so my incredible hacking skills, you both aced your exams for the semester," added Dustin.

"So you can go back whenever you want," added Steve.

"I even remembered to water your plants every week," added Bill, proudly.

"You guys are too much," said Max.

The four boys were quickly assimilated into the group, laughing and talking and sharing stories. Liz watched everyone she cared about relaxing and having fun for a few minutes before she grabbed her backpack and slipped up the stairs to her old room.

She climbed out her bedroom window and onto the rooftop patio. She sat on an old lawn chair and reached into her backpack and pulled out her journal.

_My name is Liz Parker Evans, and today is the start of a whole new life._


End file.
